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Report  on  the  '^^'•"'«' 

Investigation  of  mm'^H 

Prison  Labor  and  Management 
House  of  Correction 
City  of  Chicago 


Inquiry  conducted  at  the  request  of  the 
Committee  on  Finance,  December  11,  1913 
to  March  24,  1914. 

Statutory  Provisions,  Organization, 
Management,  Kecord  System,  Inmates  and 
Prisoners,  Contract  labor,  Extension  of 
Industries,  Present  Industries — Conclusions 
and  Recommendations. 


CIVIL  SERVICE  COMMISSION 
City  of  Chicago 

H.  M.  CAMPBELL, 
ELTON  LOWER, 
JOHN  J.  FLYNN, 

Commissioners. 


EFFICIENCY  DIVISION 
CIVIL   SERVICE  COMMISSION 

JAMES  MILES 
J.  L.  JACOBS 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Page 

Resolution   of   City    Council    4 

Letter    of    Transmittal     S 

Request  for  Investigation   S 

Scope  of  Investigation    6 

Statutory   Provisions  and   City  Ordinances    7 

Organization  of  Institution    g 

Management   of   Institution    13 

Methods,    Systems   and    Records    22 

Population — Prisoners    and    Inmates    23 

Housing,  Sanitation,   Medical   Care  and   \V''elfare    25 

John  Worthy  School  for   Boys    28 

Contract   Prison   Labor   29 

Extension  of  Municipal   Industries — Farm   Colony 32 

Prison   Labor   and    Industries 35 

Contract    Shops     37 

Broom    Shop     37 

Leather  Shop   , 40 

Purse   Shop    43 

Garment  Shop    45 

Municipally   Conducted   Industries    45 

Printing    Industry    45 

Crushed    Stone    Industry    46 

Shoe  and  Tailor   Industry    50 

Brick    Industry     51 

Laundry    (Men's   and   Women's) 52 

Women's  Sewing  Room   55 

Miscellaneous    Industries    56 

Summary  of  Findings  and   Conclusions 59 

Summary  of  Recommendations    60 

TABLES 

Table   I     — Distribution  of  Male   Inmates   by   Days    14 

Table  II  — Distribution  of  Women    Inmates   by   Days    IS 

Table  III — Summary  of  Receipts  by  Months  in  Various  Industries 17 

Table  IV — Summary  by  Months  of  Receipts  from  Contract  Shops    18 

Table  V   — Receipts   for   Services    Rendered   and   from   Sales   of   Products   to   City 

Departments    20 

Table  VI — Receipts  from  Sales  of  Products  to  Other  Than  City  Departments....  21 

EXHIBITS 

-Chart  of  Organization  as  of  December,   1913 9 

-Opinion  of  Corporation  Counsel  in  re    Contract  for   Prison  Labor..  64 

-View  Showing  Method  of  Transporting   Ice    11 

-View  Showing  Method  of  Moving   Freight    Cars    11 

-Interior  View  of  Hospital   26 

-View   Showing   Undeveloped    Land    33 

-Interior  View  of  Broom    Shop    38 

-Interior  View  of  Leather    Shop    41 

-Interior  View  of  Purse    Shop     43 

-Interior  View  of  Garment    Shop    44 

-View  of  House  of  Correction  Stone  Quarry    49 

-Interior  View  of  Kitchen     56 

-Interior  View  of  Carpenter    Shop    58 

-Interior  View  of  Carpenter    Shop    58 

3 


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Exhib 

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Exhib 

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Exhib 

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Exhib 

t  VII 

Exhib 

t  VIII 

Exhib 

t  IX 

Exhib 

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Exhib 

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Exhib 

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Exhib 

t  XIII 

Exhib 

t  XIV 

RESOLUTION  OF  CITY  COUNCIL 

After  the  receipt  and  consideration  of  this  report  by  the  Sub-committee  on  Prison 
Labor  of  the  Committee  on  Finance,  consisting  of  Lewis  D.  Sitts,  Chairman;  James 
A.  Kearns,  and  John  R.  Emerson;  and  upon  its  recommendation,  the  Committee  on 
Finance  reported  and  recommended  the  passage  of  the  following  resolution  to  the 
City  Council.  This  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  City  Council  at  its 
regular  meeting  held  on  Monday  evening,  March  30,  1914: 

WHEREAS,  The  contract  system  of  employing  prison  labor  is  preju- 
dicial to  the  moral,  mental,  and  industrial  development  and  welfare  of 
the  prisoners  and  those  dependent  upon  them,  and  is  detrimental  to  the 
institution,  and  of  free  labor,  and 

WHEREAS,  The  municipal  system  for  the  employment  of  convict 
labor  is  for  the  best  interests  of  the  prisoners  and  the  institution,  and 
there  are  a  large  number  of  industries  in  which  the  inmates  could  be 
made  to  work  for  the  benefit  of  the  city  departments  and  the  various 
other  civil  divisions,  including  the  Park  Boards,  Cook  County,  the  Board 
of  Education,  the  Public  Library  and  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago, 
therefore,  be  it 

RESOLVED,  That  the  policy  of  the  House  of  Correction  be  the 
complete  abolition  of  the  system  of  contract  labor  and  that  inmates  who 
are  not  engaged  in  general  maintenance  work  for  the  institution  be 
assigned  to  industries  for  the  production  of  supplies  and  commodities  or 
be  assigned  on  outside  work,  at  agriculture,  or  other  services  for  the  use 
of  the  institution,  the  city  and  other  civil  divisions,  and  be  it  further 

RESOLVED,  That  the  contracts  with  the  Chicago  Leather  &  Mercan- 
tile Co.,  the  Chicago  Broom  Co.,  and  the  Inland  Purse  Co.,  be  terminated 
and  that  the  premises  occupied  by  them  be  vacated  on  or  before  May  1, 
1914,  and  that  the  inmates  now  assigned  to  this  work  be  put  on  the  work 
of  manufacturing  supplies  and  giving  their  services  to  the  city  depart- 
ments  and   other   civil    divisions,   therefore,   be   it 

ORDERED,  That  the  various  department  heads  of  the  City  use  every 
means  possible  for  the  utilization  of  prison  labor  and  the  products  manu- 
factured at  the  House  of  Correction  in  the  operation  of  their  manifold 
activities,  and  that  every  effort  be  directed  to  influence  the  proper  authori- 
ties of  Cook  County,  the  Park  Boards,  the  Board  of  Education,  the  Chi- 
cago Public  Library,  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  and  other  civil 
divisions  to  utilize,  in  so  far  as  possible,  such  convict  labor  and  products 
as  they  may  need  which  could  be  manufactured  advantageously  at  the 
institution,    and,    be    it   further 

ORDERED,  That  such  other  recommendations  as  are  included  in  the 
report  of  the  efficiency  division  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission  shall  be 
further  considered  by  the  Committee  on  Finance  with  a  view  to  putting 
them  into  effect  as  far  as  practicable. 

(Signed)  JNO.  A.  RICHERT, 

Chairman. 

L.  D.  SITTS,  CHAS.  TWIGG, 

W.   F.   LIPPS,  FRANK  J.  WILSON, 

A.   KRUMHOLZ,  A.  W.  BEILFUSS, 

ELLIS   GEIGER,  GEORGE  F.  HARDING,  JR., 

M.   G.  HOLDING,  JAS.  H.  LAWLEY, 


JAMES  A.  KEARNS, 


Members,  Committee  on  Finance. 


INVESTIGATION  OF  LABOR  CONDITIONS  AND   MANAGEMENT 
HOUSE  OF  CORRECTION— CITY  OF  CHICAGO 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 

March  30,   1914. 
HONORABLE  JOHN  A.  RICHERT,  CHAIRMAN. 
COMMITTEE  ON  FINANCE, 
CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 

Dear  Sir: 

The  Commission  begs  to  transmit  herewith  a  report  of  the  efficiency  division  on 
the  investigation  into  the  use  of  prison  labor  and  the  distribution  of  the  products  of 
such  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction,  and  the  organization,  business  management 
and  accounts  of  the  institution. 

This  report  is  made  in  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Committee  on  Finance 
of  December  11,  1913,  and  supplements  the  preliminary  report  submitted  by  this 
Commission  on  this  subject  on  December  12,  1913. 

Very  truly  yours, 

CIVIL  SERVICE  COMMISSION, 

CITY  OF  CHICAGO, 

(Signed")         HARMON  M.  CAMPBELL, 
ELTON    LOWER, 
JOHN  J.   FLYNN, 

Commissioners. 


REPORT  OF  EFFICIENCY  DIVISION,  CIVIL  SERVICE  COMMISSION 

March  24.  1914. 
CIVIL  SERVICE  COMMISSION, 
CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 

Gentlemen: — In  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Committee  on  Finance  of  the 
City  Council  and  your  order,  the  efficiency  division  respectfully  submits  herewith 
report  on  the  investigation  conducted  into  the  use  of  prison  labor  and  the  manage- 
ment, conditions  and  systems  of  distributing  the  commodities  prodticed  at  the  penal 
institution  of  the  City  of  Chicago  known  as  the  House  of  Correction.  This  report 
supplements  the  preliminary  outline  report  submitted  to  the  Committee  on  Finance  on 
December  12,  1913. 

REQUEST  FOR  INVESTIGATION. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  City  Council  on  December  8,  1913,  the  following  order 
was  presented  by  Alderman  Charles  E.  Merriam  and  was,  on  motion,  duly  passed: 

Ordered,  That  the  Finance  Committee  be  and  it  hereby  is  directed 
to  investigate  the  use  of  convict  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction,  with 
particular  reference  to  rates  of  compensation,  method  of  awarding  con- 
tracts, and  competition  with  free  labor;  and  to  recommend  appropriate 
measures  for  the  relief  of  the  disgraceful  conditions  now  prevailing. 


On  December  11,  1913,  the  following  communication  was  received,  and  referred  by 
your  Commission  to  the  efficiency  division  for  action: 

Honorable  Civil  Service  Commission, 
City  of  Chicago. 

Gentlemen: — A  resolution  has  been  referred  to  the  Finance  Committee 
with  reference  to  the  situation  existing  at  the  House  of  Correction.  I 
would  like  to  ask  you  if  you  have  any  information  in  your  efficiency  divi- 
sion that  would  enlighten  us  upon  the  subject  covering  the  contracts  ex- 
isting at  that  institution. 

Yours  truly, 

(Signed)       JOHN  A.  RICHERT, 

Chairman,   Committee  on   Finance. 

In  answer  thereto  the  following  letter  was  on  the  same  date  addressed  to  the 
chairman   of   the   Committee   on   Finance: 

Dear  Sir: — The  Commission  begs  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  yours  of 
the  11th  instant  asking  if  the  efficiency  division  has  any  information  regard- 
ing contracts  existing  at  the  House  of  Correction. 

The  Technical  Board  (Streets)  and  the  efficiency  division  have  consid- 
erable information  on  this  subject.  This  will  be  collected  and  tabulated, 
and  sent  you   in   time   for  your   meeting  tomorrow. 

Yours  very  truly, 
(Signed)      ELTON  LOWER, 

Commissioner. 

In  accordance  with  the  above,  the  Efficiency  Division  presented  a  preliminary  re- 
port on  December  12,  1913,  to  the  Committee  on  Finance,  which  included  such  infor- 
mation and  data  on  hand  on  the  utilization  of  the  convict  labor  at  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection by  the  citj'  departments  and  the  terms  of  the  present  private  contracts  under 
which  prison  labor  was  engaged.  The  data  included  therein  were  collected  in  the 
course  of  the  investigation  of  the  activities  in  the  bureau  of  streets.  Department  of 
Public  ^^'orks,  report  on  which  was  made  to  the  City  Council  on  October  13,  1913. 
During  this  study  consideration  was  given  to  the  matter  of  using  the  labor  of  in- 
mates at  the  House  of  Correction  to  supply  the  bureau  of  streets  with  a  large  number 
of  supplies  regularly  required.  The  plan  was  outlined  in  conferences  with  the  inspec- 
tors at  the  House  of  Correction  and  the  Superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction 
on  September  26.  1913,  and  November  13.  1913,  when  it  was  shown  that  the  develop- 
ment of  the  public  account  system  in  furnishing  supplies  and  services  for  the  bureau  of 
streets  and  other  city  departments  could  be  carried  on  with  a  relatively  small  outlay 
of  capital  and  with  resultant  increased  efficiency  and  economy  in  the  purchase  of  cer- 
tain city  supplies,  and  in  the  care  and  maintenance  of  the  inmates,  -^t  the  latter  con- 
ference, the  Hon.  L.  E.  McGann,  Commissioner  of  Public  Works,  stated  that  the  De- 
l)artment  of  Public  Works  stood  ready  to  use  all  materials  and  supplies  available  for 
his  department  which   could  be  produced  at  the  House  of  Correction. 

In  accordance  therewith  requests  were  made  for  sufficient  appropriation  in  the 
1914  budget  to  purchase  such  additional  equipment  and  machinery  as  w-ould  make 
possible  the  extension  of  the  use  of  prison  labor  to  the  preferred  municipal  use 
market   rather  than   to   the   general   competitive   free   labor   market. 

SCOPE  OF  INVESTIGATION. 

In  order  that  the  entire  question  of  convict  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction  be 
thoroughly  studied,  the  Efficiency  Division  has  taken  up  the  work  where  it  had  left 
off  in  the  Bureau  of  Streets  investigation,  and  has  undertaken  a  complete  study  of 
the  conditions  and  systems  under  which  convicts  are  employed  both  for  the  city 
and  for  private  contractors,  the  efficacy  of  the  present  arrangement  and  the  develop- 
ment of  the  mental,  moral  and  industrial  faculties  of  the  prisoners  and  of  the  man- 
agement of  the  institution. 


Each  industry  of  the  institution  has  been  studied,  and  figures  have  been  prepared 
for  the  most  important,  showing  the  relative  earning  values  of  inmate  labor  under 
the  existing  organization,  conditions  and  systems.  The  problems  of  organization  and 
administration  at  the  institution  were  considered  only  in  so  far  as  they  threw  light 
on  the  central  problems  above  indicated. 

The  procedure  adhered  to  throughout  this  study  has  been  as   follows: 

(1)  Ascertaining  the  general  functions  and  activities  of  the  institution, 
the  administrative  problems,  conditions  and  methods,  and  comparing 
these  with  results  obtained  as  to  the  various  officers,  the  different 
classes    of   inmates    and    the    different   bureaus    within    the    institution. 

(2)  Ascertaining  the  efficiency  and  economy  of  administration  and  man- 
agement and  determining  the  extent  and  relative  virtues  and  defects  of 
existing  organization   and   methods. 

(3)  Providing  constructive  recommendations  and  co-operating  with  the 
officials  in  obtaining  more  effective  methods  and  organization,  and  se- 
curing more  efficient  and  economical  penal  administration  and  man- 
agement. 

The  investigation  of  the  matters  above  referred  to  has  been  pursued  under  the 
following  methods: 

(1)  By  analysis  of  statistics  and  general  information  and  data  appearing 
in  publications  of  scientific  and  public  institutions  and  given  by  experts 
on   general   administration  and   subjects  relating  thereto. 

(2)  Through  the  medium  of  written  inquiries  directed  to  private  and 
public   officials. 

(3)  By  personal  inquiry  by  the  technical  staff  of  investigators  and  ex- 
aminers. 

The  investigation  has  been  conducted  under  the  direct  charge  of  James  Miles, 
examiner  in  charge  of  the  efficiency  division,  and  J.  L.  Jacobs,  efficiency  engineer 
in  charge,  and  the  detail  was  done  by  F.  H.  Cenfield,  P.  H.  Myers,  H.  R.  Van  Gun- 
ten,  and  other  assistants  of  the  efficiency  division.  In  the  prosecution  of  the  invest- 
igation and  in  the  collection  of  information  and  data  the  efficiency  division  has  been 
assisted  by  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction,  by  the  board  of  inspect- 
ors, and  by  officials  of  the  city  and  of  penal  institutions. 

As  a  result  of  this  study  conclusions  and  constructive  recommendations  have 
been  drawn,  which  have  to  do  primarily  with  the  use  of  inmate  labor,  and  touching 
incidentally  other  features  of  the  management  and  operation  of  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection which  require  attention.  A  summary  of  the  conclusions  and  recommenda- 
tions appear  at  the  end  of  this  report. 

The  matters  which  have  been  considered  in  this  report  are  included  under  the 
following  main  chapters: 

d)  Statutory  provisions  and  city  ordinances. 

(2)  Organization  of  institution. 

(3)  Management  of  institution. 

(4)  Methods,   systems  and  records. 

(5)  Population — Prisoners  and   inmates. 

(6)  Housing,   sanitation,   medical  care  and  welfare. 

(7)  John    Worthy    School    for    Boys. 

(8)  Contract   prison   labor. 

(9)  Extension   of  municipal   industries — Farm  colony. 

(10)  Prison   labor   and   industries: 

(a)  Contract   and    piece   price    system. 

(b)  Municipal  use  system. 

(11)  Conclusions    and   recommendations. 

STATUTORY  PROVISIONS  AND  CITY  ORDINANCES. 

The  House  of  Correction  was  established  under  "An  Act  to  establish  houses  of 
correction,  etc.,"  in  force  July  1,  1871,  Illinois  statutes  annotated  (Jones  and  Adding- 

7 


ton.  1913,  Chapter  67,  Paragraphs  610S-6137,  volume  3,  page  3313)  to  "be  used  for  the 
confinement  and  punishment  of  criminals  or  persons  sentenced  or  committed  thereto 
under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or  any  law  of  this  state,  or  ordinance  of  any  city  or 
village,  authorizing  the  confinement  of  convicted  persons  in  any  such  house  of  cor- 
rection." 

Paragraphs  1494-1507  of  Chapter  XXXIX  of  the  Chicago  Code  of  1911,  provides 
that  "the  buildings  and  enclosures  erected  and  now  standing,  or  that  may  hereafter 
be  erected  on  that  part  of  the  east  one-half  of  the  southwest  one-quarter  of  section 
twenty-five,  township  thirty-nine  north,  range  thirteen,  east  of  the  third  principal 
meridian,  lying  north  of  the  west  branch  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Chicago  river, 
being  between  Twenty-sixth  street  and  the  west  branch  of  the  south  branch  of  the 
Chicago  river,  situated  and  lying  within  the  city  of  Chicago,  are  constituted  and  estab- 
lished a  House  of  Correction"  for  the  city  of  Chicago. 

The  statutes  and  city  ordinances  further  provide  that  the  management  and  di- 
rection of  the  House  of  Correction  shall  be  under  the  control  and  authority  of  a  board 
of  inspectors,  consisting  of  three  persons  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  the  City  Council.  The  term  of  office  of  these  inspectors  is  three  years 
(one  to  be  appointed  each  year)  and  the  Mayor  is  ex-officio  a  member  of  such  board. 

This  board  of  inspectors  is  given  power  to  adopt  rules  for  the  regulation  and 
discipline  of  the  said  House  of  Correction  and  make  by-laws  in  relation  to  the  man- 
agement and  government  thereof,  fix  the  compensation  and  duties  of  all  employes  and 
serve  without  fee  or  compensation.  "No  appropriation  of  money  shall  be  made  by 
the  said  board  of  inspectors  for  any  purpose  other  than  the  ordinary  and  necessary 
expenses  and  repairs  of  said  institution,  except  with  the  sanction  of  the  legislative 
authority  of  said  city."  Said  board  shall  meet  once  in  every  three  months,  and  one 
of  said  board  shall  visit  said  House  of  Correction  at  least  once  in  every  month. 

The  books  of  said  House  of  Correction  shall  exhibit  clearly  the  state  of  the 
prisoners,  the  number  received  and  discharged,  number  employed  as  servants  or  in 
cultivating  or  improving  the  premises,  the  number  employed  in  each  branch  of  in- 
dustry carried  on,  and  all  receipts  and  expenditures.  Quarterly  statements  must  be 
made  out  and  submitted  to  the  comptroller  and  by  him  to  the  City  Council.  Annual 
reports  must  be  submitted  to  the  City  Council  and  to  the  Governor  of  the  state  and 
by  him  to  the  legislature. 

A  superintendent  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor  with  the  consent  of  the  board 
of  inspectors,  to  hold  office  four  years.  He  shall  have  entire  control  and  manage- 
ment of  all  its  concerns,  subject  to  law  and  to  rules  and  regulations  adopted  for  the 
government  of  the  House  of  Correction.  He  shall  carry  out  all  written  orders  of 
inspectors.  He  shall  reside  at  the  House  of  Correction  and  devote  all  his  time  and 
attention  to  the  same.  The  deputy  superintendent  shall  exercise  the  powers  of  the 
superintendent  during  his  absence  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  discipline  thereof  and 
safe  keeping  of  prisoners. 

The  board  of  supervisors  or  commissioners  of  any  county  and  board  of  trustees 
of  any  village  or  town  in  any  county  shall  have  authority  to  enter  into  an  agree- 
ment with  the  City  Council  or  any  authorized  agent  in  behalf  of  said  city  to  receive 
and  keep  in  said  House  of  Correction,  persons  who  may  be,  by  any  court  or  magis- 
trate, sentenced  or  committed  thereto.  Such  agreements  must  be  published.  It  shall 
be  lawful  for  the  inspectors  of  such  House  of  Correction  to  establish,  as  one  of  its 
departments,  a  house  of  shelter  for  females.  The  expenses  of  maintaining  such  house 
of  correction  over  and  above  the  amounts  received  for  labor  of  persons  confined 
therein,  and  such  sums  as  shall  be  received  by  virtue  of  any  agreements  with  the 
county  or  other  civil  divisions,  shall  be  paid  for  by  the  City  Council,  and  raised, 
levied  and   collected  as  the  ordinary   expenses  of  such   city. 

ORGANIZATION   OF   INSTITUTION. 

As  above  indicated,  the  organization  of  the  House  of  Correction  is  under  the 
general  management  and  direction  of  the  board  of  inspectors  who,  with  the   Mayor, 

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appoint  a  superintendent  for  the  House  of  Correction,  to  be  in  direct  charge  of 
the  administration  of  the  institution.  The  term  of  office  of  the  superintendent  of  the 
House  of  Correction  is  fixed  at  four  years,  but  provision  is  made  for  his  removal 
by  the  board  of  inspectors  at  any  time  if,  in  their  judgment,  it  seems  advisable. 


A  general  plan  of  organization  and  the  lines  of  authority  and  responsibility  as 
fixed  at  present  for  carrying  on  the  various  activities  at  the  institution,  are  shown  on 
the  chart  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  I,  and  consists: 

(1)  Of  those   employes   whose   duties   involve   the   safety   and   welfare   of 

the   inmates,   and 

(2)  Of  those  employes  whose  duties  involve  the  supervision  of  the  indus- 

tries at  the  institution; 
the   primary  functions  being 

(1)  Guarding  and   seeking  to   better   the   conditions   and   the  reformation 

of  prisoners. 

(2)  Organizing  and  conducting  the  industries  along  business  lines. 

The  organization,  as  at  present  constituted,  has  a  medical  superintendent  wlio  is 
in  charge  of  the  hospitals  and  the  general  health  of  the  inmates  received  at  the  in- 
stitution. He  reports  directly  to  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction.  An 
assistant  superintendent  is  in  charge  of  all  outside  work,  and  as  such  he  is  responsible 
for  the  assignment  of  the  men  to  the  different  industries.  As  indicated  under  the 
caption  "Prison  Labor  and  Industries,"  each  industry  at  the  House  of  Correction 
is  conducted  as  an  independent  unit  and  without  reference  to  other  industries.  This 
has  resulted   in  lack  of  uniformity  in   methods   and   inefficiency  of  operation. 

Analysis  of  the  commitment  records  indicates  that  prisoners  with  comparatively 
long-term  sentences,  and  who  are  therefore  more  valuable  for  work,  have  been,  in 
the  majority  of  cases,  assigned  to  the  contract  shops,  thus  leaving  the  short  termers 
for  work  in  the  municipally  conducted  industries.  Records  of  the  assignment  of  pris- 
oners to  the  various  industries  are,  in  some  instances,  inaccurately  kept.  For  ex- 
ample, during  the  winter  months  many  men  are  employed  on  ice  harvesting,  but  the 
records  show  that  these  men  are  assigned  to  the  quarry.  The  numbers  of  men  as- 
signed to  the  shoe  shop  and  the  tailor  shop  are  incorrectly  reported,  the  number  work- 
ing in  the  shoe  shop  being  shown  on  the  records  as -working  in  the  tailor  shop,  and 
vice   versa. 

The  assignment  of  inmates  to  the  various  industries  is  done  in  a  hurried,  hap- 
hazard manner,  in  which  apparently  very  little  thought  is  given  to  the  best  interests 
of  the  inmates  or  of  the  institution.  There  is  also  a  good  deal  of  inefficient  assign- 
ing of  inmates  on  maintenance  work  as  shown  by  Exhibits  III  and  IV.  Much  of 
the  area  of  the  Institution  is  undeveloped,  as  shown  by  Exhibit  VI. 

A  principal  clerk  is  in  general  charge  of  the  work  of  the  office,  and  is  required 
to  keep  a  personal  record  of  the  prisoners  and  the  general  accounts  of  the  institu- 
tion. He  is  also  charged  with  the  keeping  of  the  records  of  the  laundry,  quarry  and 
brickyard  industries.  The  records  of  the  activities  of  the  other  industries  are  kept 
by  a  store-keeper,  who  is  in  charge  of  the  general  stores  at  the  institution. 

The  inaccuracy  in  the  accounts  and  records  of  the  office  have  been  such  as  to 
compel  the  superintendent  to  keep  a  personal  set  of  books  for  his  own  protection. 
This  is  a  condition  that  should  be  remedied. 

During  the  course  of  the  investigation  it  was  also  found  that  in  a  number  of 
cases,  men  who  for  many  years  had  been  guards,  had  been  transferred  to  supervis- 
ing and  clerical  work,  and  that,  in  general,  assignments  to  positions  had  been  made 
without  considering  the  general  fitness  of  the  appointees  for  the  kind  of  work  which 
they  were  expected  to  do.  It  was  learned  that  many  of  these  cases  were  the  remains 
of  a  former  practice  of  assignment  in  effect  before  the  provisions  of  the  civil  serv- 
ice law  were  applied  to  the  House  of  Correction. 

Another  evidence  of  the  old  system  is  a  sort  of  "underground  channel,"  through 
which  information  from  outside  sources  reaches  a  certain  coterie  of  employes  in  re- 
markably short  periods  of  time.  This  coterie  seems  to  stand  together  in  favor  of 
continuing  conditions  as  they  have  been,  and  against  reforms  of  any  character.  Un- 
der these  circumstances  the  bad  conditions  of  non-uniformity  of  methods  and  ineffi- 
ciency of  operation  are  readily  understood. 

All  regular  officers  and  employes  at  the  institution  are  now  recruited  through 
the  city  Civil  Service  Commission,  and  the  grades  of  positions  and  salaries  of  such 
officers  and  employes  are  governed  by  the  rules  and  schedules  prescribed  by  this  Com- 
mission.    This  practice  has  been  adhered  to  in  the  provision  for  the  positions  in  the 

10 


EXHIBIT  III. 
View  showing^  the  use  of  labor  for  handling-  and  transporting^  ice,  House  of  Correction. 


EXHIBIT  IV. 
View  showinff  inmates  uiovinj^f  freight  cars  at  the  House  of  Correction. 


annual  appropriation  ordinance,  and  employes,  when  assigned,  are  now  required  to 
perform  the  general  duties  in  accordance  with  the  character  of  the  examination,  which 
they  were  required  to  take  to  prove  their  fitness.  Under  this  arrangement,  the  num- 
ber of  employes  who  have  been  and  are  now  assigned  to  positions  having  duties 
widely  different  from  those  for  which  they  are  particularlj'  fitted,  will  be  on  the  de- 
crease, with  resulting  increased  efficiency,  discipline  and  esprit  de  corps  of  the 
organization. 

As  hereinbefore  indicated,  the  primary  functions  of  the  House  of  Correction 
are,  first,  guarding  and  seeking  to  better  the  condition  of  prisoners,  and  second,  or- 
ganizing and  conducting  industries.  The  first  of  these  functions,  outside  of  the 
mere  guarding  of  the  prisoners,  may  be  further  divided  into  two  divisions:  (a)  pro- 
viding for  their  physical  well-being;  (b)  looking  after  their  mental,  moral  and  indus- 
trial development. 

Under  this  functional  grouping,  and  following  out  the  plan  of  organization,  there 
should  be  directly  under  the  superintendent,  two  chief  assistants,  one  the  medical  su- 
perintendent, directly  charged  with  all  those  activities  having  to  do  with  the  health 
and  physical  well-being  of  the  prisoners;  the  other  a  superintendent  of  industries 
or  business  manager,  directly  charged  with  all  those  activities  which  have  to  do  with 
the  industrial  development  of  the  prisoners  and  the  general  management  of  the  insti- 
tution. General  questions  of  mental  and  moral  betterment  of  the  prisoners  should 
be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction. 

The  activities  which,  according  to  this  arrangement,  fall  under  the  direction  and 
supervision  of  the  medical  superintendent  would  be  the  hospital  and  related  medical 
work  in  the  cell  houses,  the  study  of  the  physical  and  mental  conditions  of  prisoners 
and  the  sanitary  conditions  throughout  the  entire  institution,  the  kitchen  and  the 
bakery. 

The  superintendent  of  industries  should  be  in  charge  of  all  industries  includ- 
ing, with  the  approval  of  the  superintendent,  the  assigning  of  the  division  heads, 
and  he  should  be  responsible  not  only  for  the  efficient  operation  of  these  industries, 
but  also,  of  the  extension  of  those  industries  which  would  be  best  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  the  prisoners  and  of  the  institution,  and  of  creating  a  market  for  their  products. 
He  should  also  be  charged  with  the  purchases  of  all  supplies  and  materials  of  the  en- 
tire institution,  the  conduct  of  the  storeroom  and  office  records  and  accounts.  He 
should  personally  assign  all  prisoners  to  the  work  best  suited  for  their  own  interests 
and  the  interests  of  the  institution.  To  fulfill  the  possibilities  of  his  position  properly 
he  should  be  an  understudj'  of  the  superintendent,  co-operating  in  all  the  latter's 
plans  for  the  conduct  of  the  institution  as  a  whole,  and  represent  the  superintendent 
in  that  official's  absence. 

As  hereinbefore  indicated,  the  duties  and  work  which  are  outlined  for  the  su- 
perintendent of  industries  are  now  covered  rather  ineflfectively  by  the  present  assistant 
superintendent  and  the  principal  clerk,  who  receive  salaries  of  $2,100  and  $1,800  respec- 
tively. It  is  recommended  that  these  two  positions  be  abolished,  and  that  the  posi- 
tion of  superintendent  of  industries  or  business  manager  be  created  in  place  thereof  at 
a  salary  of  at  least  $3,000. 

Under  the  dual  authority  conferred  by  the  statutes  on  the  board  of  inspectors 
and  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction,  the  responsibility  for  the  operation 
and  management  of  the  various  activities  at  the  institution  has  not  been,  and  cannot 
be  definitely  fixed.  Investigation  of  the  methods  used  in  letting  contracts  and  in 
appointing  division  heads  and  fixing  responsibility  for  results  in  the  various  indus- 
tries shows  that  the  present  system  is  ineffective  and  expensive,  and  has  been  the 
cause  of  the  lack  of  a  defined  and  concerted  plan  of  action  toward  a  complete  re-or- 
ganization along  logical  and  scientific  lines,  the  ultimate  goal  of  which  would  be  of 
maximum  benefit  to  both  inmates  and  the  community. 

The  essentials  of  effective  and  economical  administration  of  any  business  are 
fixed,  direct  responsibility  and  equitable  distribution  of  work  to  expert  heads  of  di- 
visions.    The  arrangement  as  it  exists  at  the  House  of  Correction  at  present  has  made 

12 


it  difficult  for  the  superintendent  and  the  division  heads  to  carrj'  on  their  various 
activities,  and  it  has  been  just  as  difficult  to  place  responsibility. 

The  movement  for  the  reformation  of  offenders  and  the  protection  of  society 
has  advanced  to  a  scientific  stage,  and  definite  principles  of  action  are  now  established 
and  adhered  to  in  the  penal  institutions  of  advanced  municipalities,  states  and  coun- 
ties of  the  Union.  It  is  now  a  well  recognized  fact  that  efficient  and  effective  ad- 
ministration of  activities  in  penal  work  requires  the  services  of  persons  who  are 
trained  and  expert  in  social  sciences. 

In  order  that  the  organization  at  the  House  of  Correction  may  be  enabled  to 
carrj'  on  this  work  of  reformation  in  a  businesslike  and  effective  manner,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  control  and  care  of  the  unfortunates  be  under  the  direct  super- 
vision of  one  person  who  is  an  expert  in  penal  work,  and  who  has  broad  and  com- 
prehensive ideas  of  business  methods  and  administration.  It  is  recommended  that 
action  be  taken  so  that  amendments  be  presented  to  the  next  legislature  providing  for 
a  change  in  the  statutes  relative  to  the  appointment  of  the  board  of  inspectors  and  the 
superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction.  The  offices  of  the  board  of  inspectors 
should  be  abolished  and  the  statutes  amended  by  striking  out  reference  to  the  ap- 
pointment and  authority  of  the  board  of  inspectors,  and  placing  the  responsibility  for 
the  management  and  the  direction  of  the  House  of  Correction  definitely  on  one  offi- 
cial. This  official  should  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  with  the  advice  and  consent 
of  the  City  Council,  should  have  complete  power  to  direct  and  manage  all  the  activi- 
ties of  the  institution,  and  should  appoint  all  necessary  assistants  according  to  their 
merits  and   qualifications. 

The  provision  for  two  division  heads  will  relieve  the  superintendent  of  numerous 
matters  of  detail,  thus  giving  him  the  necessary  opportunity  for  the  outlining  and 
settlement  of  broad  policies  of  administration. 

Due  credit  should  be  given  to  the  present  superintendent  of  the  House  of 
Correction  for  his  earnestness  and  efficiency  in  the  general  control  and  direction 
of  the  penal  work  at  the  institution.  The  recommended  change  in  the  present  condi- 
tion whereby  the  authority  and  responsibility  will  be  more  definitely  fixed  and  the 
organization  and  methods  improved,  and  the  elimination  of  the  contract  shops  and 
the  extension  of  the  municipal  industries,  should  offer  the  superintendent  unlimited 
possibilities  for  better  and  greater  work  in  both  the  management  of  the  institution 
and  the  welfare  of  the  inmates. 

MANAGEMENT  OF  INSTITUTION. 

The  investigation  of  the  use  of  prison  labor  has  clearly  disclosed  lack  of  business- 
like management  in  the  operation  and  control  of  the  prison  industries.  This  is  the 
greatest  source  of  criticism  and  censure  of  the  management  at  the  institution,  as 
neither  the  spirit  nor  the  letter  of  the  law  has  been  observed,  nor  has  the  institution 
taken  advantage  of  economical  possibilities.  The  question  of  the  most  adaptable  and 
desirable  industries,  both  from  the  viewpoint  of  welfare  of  inmates,  of  those  depend- 
ent upon  them  and  of  upkeep  of  the  institution,  does  not  seem  to  have  been  given  the 
consideration  which  it  deserves;  the  lack  of  advanced  practice  in  industrial  work  at 
the  institution  can  be  traced  directly  to  this.  Opportunities  for  decreasing  the  loss 
on  the  cost  of  maintenance  of  inmates  at  the  institution  by  increasing  revenues  from 
sale  of  products  and  services  to  the  city  and  other  civil  divisions  and  the  boarding 
of  prisoners,  have  also  been  neglected,  principally  it  appears,  because  all  of  the  facts 
in  connection  with  management  and  operation  of  the  institution  have  not  been  known. 

As  indicated  under  the  caption  "Population — Prisoners  and  Inmates,"  the  House 
of  Correction  has  on  the  average  1,722  inmates.  At  the  time  of  this  investigation,  the 
number  was  nearly  2,300,  which  was  the  highest  in  the  history  of  the  institution. 
These  consisted  of  1,985  men,  about  200  women  and  110  boys.  The  able  and  healthy 
inmates  are  distributed  among  the  thirty  or  more  industries  now  conducted  at  the 
institution  with  little  or  no  reference  to  their  qualifications  or  welfare,  or  to  the  wel- 
fare of  their  dependents  or  of  the  institution.     A  detailed  analysis  has  been  made  of 

13 


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the  distribution  of  the  male  and  female  labor  in  the  department  industries  and  con- 
tract shops  at  the  House  of  Correction  during  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913, 
as  shown  in  Tables  I  and  II.  Similar  analyses  have  been  made  of  the  receipts  and 
disbursements  in  the  operation  of  the  various  industries  and  in  the  management  of 
the  institution.  Tables  III,  IV,  V  and  VI  indicate  the  receipts  by  months  from  the 
contract  shops,  from  the  departmental  industries  and  for  other  services  rendered  dur- 
ing the  year  ending  September  30,  1913.  The  detail  statements  of  the  receipts  and 
disbursements  for  each  of  the  industries  is  included  under  the  caption  "Prison  Labor 
and   Industries." 


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C^iiiency    ^ivtfon  -  C'yl    Serrtcr   CvnrrriiSian  —    \January    f9i*  — 

In  order  to  obtain  the  average  cost  to  the  city  of  maintaining  inmates  at  the 
institution,  analysis  has  been  made  of  records  of  all  expenditures,  including  estimated 
depreciation  of  buildings  and  equipment,  and  the  following  figures  vi^ere  obtained  for  the 
year  ending  September  30,  1913,  this  period  being  used  because  records  at  the  insti- 
tution at  the  time  of  the  investigation  were   not  complete  after  that  date. 

Salaries  and  wages   $  99,887.50 

Provisions     75,662.20 

Drugs    2,107.38 

Bedding   and   clothing    13,817.94 

General  supplies  (90%  of  total  used  for  maintenance  purposes)..  9,305.15 
Materials   for  repairs  and  replacements   (75%  of  total   used   for 

maintenance   purposes)    6,079.88 

Furniture   and   fittings    75.22 

Printing,  stationery,  etc 763.52 

Advertising     7146 

Coal ; ;  30.323^06 

Forage,    shoeing,    etc.,    of   horses    2,313.10 

Services,  etc 10,408.37 

Depreciation   of   buildings   and   equipment 40,000.00 

Total     $290,814.78 

15 


Average  cost  of  maintaining  institution,  per  day 796.75 

'        Average  daily  population,  including  men,  women  and  boys 1,722 

Average  cost  of  maintenance  per  inmate,  per  day $0,462 

The  detail  figures  indicate  that  the  average  cost  of  maintaining  an  inmate  per  day 
is  approximately  46.2  cents,  which  figure  is  based  on  the  record  of  an  average  daily 
population,  including  men,  women  and  boys  of  1,721  persons,  and  a  total  expenditure 
of  $290,814.78.  This  latter  figure  includes  the  overhead  expense  due  to  the  depreciation 
of  buildings  and  equipment,  and  also  the  city's  share  of  the  operation  of  the  John 
Worthy  school,  but  excludes  the  cost  of  maintenance  of  girls  sent  to  the  House  of 
the  Good  Shepherd  and  the  Chicago  Refuge  for  Girls,  as  well  as  expenditures  for  out- 
lays and  for  the  operation  of  prison  industries. 

The  item  of  $40,000  included  for  the  depreciation  of  buildings  and  equipment 
has  been  estimated  on  the  basis  of  annual  depreciation  of  3;,^  per  cent  on  buildings 
and  10  per  cent  on  equipment,  the  cost  of  which  is  shown  in  the  report  of  the  City 
Comptroller  for  1912  to  be  respectively  $1,044,260.51  and  $72,603.99.  This  same  re- 
port shows  that  the  tract  of  land  used  for  the  House  of  Correction  contains  fifty- 
eight  acres  and  was  purchased  in  1868  for  $29,000. 

The  above  cost  of  maintaining  the  inmates,  approximately  46  cents  per  day,  is 
higher  than  the  average  net  earning  value  in  all  the  industries  at  present  conducted 
at  the  institution,  with  the  exception  of  the  printing  shop,  the  men's  arid  women's 
laundries  and  the  shoe  and  tailor  shop.  It  is  higher  than  the  net  amount  received  from 
the  private  contractors.  It  would  appear  that  if  the  private  contractors  are  to  con- 
tinue their  operations  at  the  institution  they  should,  be  required  to  pay  at  least  an 
amount  per  day  sufficient  to  cover  the  maintenance  cost  of  inmates  and  the  cost  for 
storage,  power,  heat  and  light. 

Details  of  the  estimated  receipts  and  expenditures  for  the  contract  shops  and  the 
municipal  industries  are  included  under  the  heading  "Prison  Labor  and  Industries." 
The  values  upon  which  the  estimated  receipts  are  computed  by  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection for  the  industries  where  the  commodities  or  services  are  either  used  by  the 
institution  itself  or  by  city  departments,  were  found  to  be  different  than  the  prices 
charged  for  such  supplies  or  services  in  the  open  market.  The  estimated  difference 
which  the  institution  should  have  obtained  during  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913. 
for  the  more  important  supplies  and  services  furnished  the  city,  and  which  would 
have  been  credited  to  the  institution  if  it  had  charged  the  city  for  the  commodities 
and  services  in  accordance  with  values  in  the  open  market,  amounted  approximately  to 
$43,830.     The  details  of  this  estimated  loss  are  as  follows: 

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Brick   —$0.16  —$0,105  $0,065  54,079  $3,515.13 

Crushed   stone    —0.41  —0.38  0.037  67,729  2,526.29 

Men's  laundry   —0.173           *1.74  1.913  8,332  15.839.12 

Shoe  and  tailor  shop..   —  0.031           *0.295  0.326  33,027  10,766.80 

Women's    laundry    ....—0.13            *0.395  0.525  18,389  9,654.23 

Women's  sewing  room  —  0.446  —  0.29  0.156  9,158  1,428.65 

Total   estimated   loss  to   institution    $43,830.22 

Note:     — Indicates  loss;  ^indicates  profit. 
An  estimate  similar  to  the  above  has  been  made  of  the  profits  of  private  contract- 
ors, derived  from  the  difference  in  the  charge  of  the  House  of  Correction  for  use  of 
prison   labor  and  the  value   of  labor  in   the  free  competitive   market,  and   also  from 
the  amounts  which  the  companies  would  have  been  required  to  pay  for  space,  heat, 

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light  and  power  which,  at  the  present  time,  are  given  to  the  contract  shops  without 
charge.  This  estimate  is  based  on  the  work  of  the  three  important  private  contractors 
during  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  and  shows  that  leather  and  broom 
companies  profited  to  the  extent  of  approximately  $32,500  in  the  difference  of  value 
between  labor  in  the  competitive  open  market  and  contract  labor.  In  addition  the 
House  of  Correction  suffered  further  loss  during  the  same  period  by  reason  of  letting 
out  labor  under  contract  without  charging  for  space,  light,  heat  or  power  amounting 
to  $12,486.94.     This   makes   a   total   difference   of  approximately   $45,000  a  year,   which 


TA3LE  W. 

SUMMffl^Y  BY  MO/iTH5  of  /eECEIPTS  FEOM  C0/f7^/?cr  5H0P5 
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PUI^SCO 

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the  contract  shops  profit  by  reason  of  these  contracts  with  the  House  of  Correction. 
The  details  of  these  figures  are  as  follows: 


Leather   Shop. 


Average  receipts  per  man  day    $        0.23 

Average  cost  of  maintenance    0.46 

Loss  or  gain  per  inmate  per  day — 0.23 

Estimated  annual  loss  to  House  of  Correction $7,313.54 

Estimated   annual   profit   to   company 

Broom  Shop, 

Average   receipts   per   man   day 

Average  cost  per  dozen  brooms   

Average   cost   of   maintenance    

Loss  per  inmate  per  day    

Gain  per  dozen  brooms  

Estimated  annual  loss  to   House   of  Correction. ..  .$1,467.40 

Estimated  annual  profit  to  company 

18 


To  City     To  Company 


.$       0.38 


0.46 
*0.08 


$       0.50 


0.: 


$23,484.00 


$       0.40 


$9,120.00 


Purse   Shop. 

(No    coniparisiiii    possible.) 

Average  receipts  per  man  day $       0.12 

Average   cost   of   maintenance    0.46  . 

Loss  per  inmate  per  day    "  — 0.34 

Estimated  annual  loss  to  House  of  Correction $.3,706.00 

Note:     — Indicates  loss;  *indicates  profit. 

The  above  amounts,  if  paid  to  the  institution,  would  go  far  towards  making  up  the 
present  deficit  in  the  cost  of  operating  the  institution.  ■  The  question  of  changing 
standards  and  prices  so  that  they  conform  more  nearly  to  those  used  in  the  open 
market  should  be  given  immediate  consideration,  and  city  departments  or  other 
civil  divisions  obtaining  such  services  and  commodities  should  hereafter  be  required 
to  pay  amounts  more  nearly  approaching  those  prevailing  in  the  free  competitive 
market. 

City  ordinances  authorize  the  Board  of  Inspectors  to  make  contracts  with  other 
civil  divisions  for  care  and  custody  of  all  prisoners  for  any  term  at  a  price  of  not 
less  than  25  cents  per  day  for  each  prisoner.  Under  this  authority  contracts  have 
been  made  and  are  now  in  force  with  Cook  County  and  surrounding  villages  for 
care  and  custody  of  their  prisoners  at  the  rate  of  30  cents  per  day  and  with  park 
boards  in  the  city  at  the  rate  of  40  cents  per  day.  For  the  year  ending  September 
30,  1913,  a  total  amount  of  $73,291.70  was  charged  to  these  divisions  for  the  boarding 
of  their  prisoners. 

Analysis  of  the  records  show,  however,  that  bills  contracted  by  Cook  County 
from  1906  to  December,  1912,  totaling  approximately  $270,000,  remain  unpaid.  Records 
show  amounts  which  remain  tmpaid  to  be  as  follows: 

1906 $       466.80 

1907  18,385.50 

1908 9,583.20 

1909  47,548.50 

1910 63.394.20 

1911   62,744.70 

1912  (to  October  1st)    54,257.70 

1912  (October  and  November  approximated)    12,032.00 

Total    $268,412.60 

Investigation  of  the  cause  for  failure  of  the  county  to  pay  these  bills  disclosed 
that  members  of  the  Board  of  Inspectors  had  no  knowledge  of  this,  while  the  super- 
intendent of  the  House  of  Correction  and  county  officials  stated  that  it  was  their 
understanding  that  the  county  claimed  the  above  amounts  had  been  ofifset  by  moneys 
which  the  city  owed  the  county.  Failure  to  collect  these  large  sums  of  money  largely 
increased  the  net  cost  of  operation  at  the  institution  and  unless  somq  remedy  can  be 
found  for  this  condition,  it  will  make  it  more  difficult  for  the  institution  to  become 
self-supporting.  Before  any  further  payments  are  made  to  the  House  of  Correction 
by  Cook  County,  the  park  boards,  the  federal  government  and  the  towns  or  villages, 
the  matter  of  the  charge  for  boarding  their  prisoners  should  be  given  careful  con- 
sideration and  an  effort  should  be  made  to  secure  for  this  service  a  sum  no  less  than 
the  cost  to  the  institution  of  maintaining  inmates.  Such  an  arrangement  would  help 
decrease  the  net  cost  of  operation  of  the  institution,  and  would  permit  possible  dis- 
triliution  of  profits  of  labor  to  persons  who  are  dependent  upon  prisoners  or  to  pris- 
oners  themselves  when   their  terms   at  the   institution   are   ended. 


HOUSE  of  COJ^PECTION  RECEIPTS  FOR  SERV/CES  J^EMDERED  /^hD 
FROM  S^LES  of  PRODUCTS    TO  C/TV  OEPARTMENT3(HOa3Eqf 
CORRECT/O/^  fiOT  /NCLUDEOJJbr  r^AR  SND/NG  SEPT.  30.  /9/3. 

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TABLED 

Ffffdeney  OivJsion  -  CiV)/  Serv/ce  (jirnm.  -Jon  /St4 

The  net  cost  of  operation  of  the  House  of  Correction  for  1907  to  1913,  inclusive, 
and  the  appropriation  for  the  year  1914,  is  shown  by  the   following  table  which  has 
been  compiled  from  reports  of  the  City  Comptroller: 
Revenue, 
Sale  of  Prod-      Revenue, 
Total  ucts  and  Boarding  Total 

Year        Expenditure        Services         Prisoners  Revenue*  Net  Cost 

1907 $250,689.15        $86,374.82        $71,563.80        $157,938.62        $92,750.53 

1908 288,226.63  75,823.86  75,919.50  151,743.36  136,483.27 

1909 306,324.77  88,672.42  83,252.20  171,924.62  134,400.15 

1910 284,280.61  93,389.83  66,719.00  160,108.83  124,171.78 

1911 300,083.98  88,570.05  65,271.30  153,841.35  146,242.63 

1912 316,061.01  78,855.52  73,444.58  152,300.10  163,760.91 

1913 308,770.32  82,785.37  78,357.86  161,143.23  147,627.09 

1914 376.439.00x 

*Includes  amounts  charged  to   Cook  County  each  year  but  which  re- 
main unpaid.       xAppropriation. 
Analysis  of  these  figures  shows   that  while  appropriations  and   expenditures   have 
been  gradually  increasing,  revenues  from  sale  of  products  and  services  and  for  board- 


FINES, /^ND  RECEIPTS  FI?OM  SfJLES  OF  P/eOPUCTS  TO  OTHE/S  TH^M 
CITY  PFf^^TMEHTS,  /?T  THE  H0U5E  OF  CORRECTION,  OTV OF CMIC/7G0 
FOJ^  THE  YE/?R  END/NO  5EPT30.I9/3      -TABLE  YT.- 

1912 

ISlo 

TOTAL 

AMOunr 

% 

TOTAL 

OCT 

NOV. 

DEC, 

JAM. 

FEB, 

MAR 

APfe 

MAY 

JUME 

JULY 

AUG. 

SEPT 

F'ines. 

4iehpo 

^Z/i.S'O 

irssso 

%.,3SO 

%S7Zpo 

^siStrs 

i^/9ZpO 

it 

s:!£i.£o 

bc4Q7£ 

4S40.0I. 

saao4.oo 

Boord/mf  Prisoners 

/U05.Z0 

>a3z,so 

'782410 

20342^0 

73Z3IJO 

8(.S0 

/^nfiricj 

VS 

7.ZS 

t.ss 

47.Z5 

,^o 

Wi 

8705 

1.0 

Bnck^ 

lad.oo 

3344J2 

5OI.00 

3I0.OO 

373?0 

ize.oo 

II9  7.0O 

Zi4.7£ 

««,» 

I3SS.ZD 

Sa7Z,n 

/a^o 

Cn/ihec/  Sfx>ne. 

liSSO 

370^$ 

IOIf,Z 

177.00 

ZIfiO 

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71.75 

6Z0,Z£ 

4I4.S0 

ZOIfOC 

zeoso 

Z3bZS 

Zi,d0,Si 

318 

Cemenf  Ware. 

nfio 

/OflO 

3.00 

3.00 

3Z^O 

3Z.O0 

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ZISO 

/Z3.S0 

.75 

Ta/hirf  Grease. 

I2^S 

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K.SC 

ZSU 

3<7Z 

4Z^S 

U.4/ 

3647 

Zizi 

toil 

3t.i0 

343'4 

.40 

Barre/s  &  3oxis 

HZ9 

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TO 

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I0.43 

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S33 

ntz 

157.1,3 

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^ot^s,  /ran,  efc. 

IZe.33 

.SB 

.eo 

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Emp^y  Sacks 

5lfi3 

tOI.S0 

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U.40 

3i.oo 

900 

ZQZS 

Z3.7S 

ZZ.75 

/oaob 

&7.00 

5Z34S 

.62 

I.3t/ndry.  h/ork. 

1138 

liS8 

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F/orfZrs. 

Z.oo 

loo 

300 

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Hauh'n<j  Coal. 

/0.00 

35,00 

soa 

4C100 

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5.00 

llOjOO 

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Sanc/r/es. 

I3,S0 

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3eo 

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la.zs 

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14:00 

Ii03 

11733 

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O^her  Procfucfs. 

I37.0O 

I87.00 

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To^a/s 

457  15 

3,88781 

17,31002 

582  Tl 

1.1 17  67 

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293  81 

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69320 

1,087.83 

22,09235 

S6.656.Or 

100 

ing  of  prisoners  have  not  increased  in  like  proportion,  and  in  the  case  of  sale  of 
products  and  services,  revenues  have  shown  an  actual  decrease.  As  a  result  of  these 
conditions,  the  net  cost  of  operating  the  House  of  Correction  has  steadily  increased, 
with  the  highest  cost  for  the  year  1912.  These  figures  show  clearly  the  comparative 
inefiiciency  of  management  at  the  institution.  As  above  indicated  the  reason  for 
such  inefficiency  is  largely  chargeable  to  the  dual  system  of  authority  as  exercised 
by  the  Board  of  Inspectors  and  the  superintendent,  resulting  in  lack  of  a  defined, 
concerted  plan  of  action.  The  correction  of  this  difficulty,  together  with  the  oppor- 
tunity presented  by  the  combination  of  fortunate  circumstances  by  which  the  House 
of  Correction  will  be  able  largely  to  increase  its  output  because  of  an  expanded 
municipal  market,  should  pave  the  way  for  a  much  better  showing  at  the  end  of 
another  year. 


METHODS,  SYSTEMS  AND  RECORDS. 

The  conditions  as  to  the  present  disorganization  and  lack  of  proper  man- 
agement have  precluded  the  possibility  of  keeping  modernized  and  accurate  sj'stems 
of  accounting  and  cost  records  or  a  system  for  definitely  ascertaining  efficiency  of 
individuals  or  service.  Records  kept  at  the  institution  were  found  to  be  indefinite  and 
incomplete  generally,  and  in  some  cases  inaccurate. 

While  the  statutes  require  that  a  complete  record  of  the  activities  of  the  Board 
of  Inspectors  be  reported  upon  each  year  to  the  City  Council  and  the  Governor,  and 
by  him  to  the  State  Legislature,  no  permanent  records  are  kept  of  meetings  of  the 
Board  of  Inspectors  and  of  their  actions,  and  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of 
Correction  has  drawn  up  this  report  from  personal  notes  kept  by  him.  The  in- 
vestigation has  disclosed  that  no  minutes  or  records  have  been  kept  by  the  Board  of 
Inspectors  of  their  meetings  or  action,  and  they  have  not  required  that  such  minutes 
be  written  up  and  presented  for  their  approval  and  signature.  If  division  of  authority 
and  responsibility  between  the  Board  of  Inspectors  and  the  superintendent  of  the 
House  of  Correction  is  to  continue,  and  no  amendment  of  the  statutes  be  made  to 
rectify  this  condition,  complete  minutes  of  the  actions  of  these  officials  should  be 
regularly  kept  and  should  be  made  a  part  of  the  permanent  record  for  use  as  a  basis 
for  fixing  responsibility  and  presenting  all  necessary  facts  in  quarterly  reports  to  the 
City  Comptroller  and  in  annual  reports  to  the  City  Council  and  the  Governor. 

In  the  analysis  of  records  and  accounts  of  the  office,  it  was  found  that  two  definite 
record  systems  are  now  kept.  The  main  system  is  kept  by  the  principal  clerk  and  in- 
cludes the  personal  records  of  inmates,  and  also  a  record  of  all  receipts  and  expenditures 
of  the  institution.  The  second  or  subsidiary  accounting  system  is  kept  by  the  storekeeper 
and  includes  the  records  of  operation  of  various  industries  and  accounts  within  the  insti- 
tution. Neither  system  of  bookkeeping  is  definite  nor  complete.  In  many  cases  the  units 
used  seem  not  to  be  based  upon  uniform  or  definite  standards,  and  therefore  recorded 
receipts  and  expenditures  in  the  various  industries  were  found  to  be  inaccurate  and 
misleading. 

The  establishment  of  uniform  standards  and  definite  units  for  keeping  records 
and  a  check  on  the  efficiencj'  of  the  work  and  organization  is  one  of  the  fundamental 
principles  df  efficient  and  economical  control  of  administration.  With  the  establish- 
ment of  such  uniform  records  and  definite  units,  it  will  be  possible  to  cost  figure  work 
and  to  compare  results.  A  modernized  system  of  accounting  should  be  installed  at  the 
institution,  which  should  show  definitely  the  cost  of  operation  of  each  industry  dur- 
ing stated  periods,  the  cost  of  consumption  of  a  given  group  of  inmates  and  the  rev- 
enues as  distinguished  from  receipts  of  the  entire  organization.  In  providing  such 
records,  it  would  also  be  possible  to  so  classify  data  as  to  show  the  cost  of  each  or- 
ganization unit  as  well  as  the  cost  of  carrying  on  each  industry,  and  the  total  cost 
for  each  division  of  work  in  relation  to  results  obtained.  This  system  of  accounts 
should  be  centralized  under  direct  charge  of  an  employe  having  experience  and  train- 
ing in  accounting  and  cost-keeping,  and  should  be  under  general  supervision  of  the 
superintendent   of  industries  as   hereinbefore   recommended. 

Owing  to  the  short  time  available  during  the  investigation,  it  was  possible  to 
check  the  accuracy  of  the  records  for  one  month  only,  by  comparison  of  items  in  the 
voucher  register  with  original  vouchers  filed  in  the  Comptroller's  office,  and  while 
they  were  found  to  be  correct,  this  check  should  not  be  taken  in  the  light  of  a 
thorough  audit.     For  this  reason  the  matter  of  purchases  was  not  gone  into. 

No  concerted  efifort  seems  to  have  been  made  in  requiring  daily  check  of  the 
work  and  industry  of  regular  employes  nor  of  the  inmates.  Consequently  it  has 
been  impossible  to  place  responsibility  for  results  or  to  definitely  ascertain  the 
efficiency  of  employes.  Daily  reports  should  be  made  by  all  regular  employes; 
they  should  be  checked  by  the  officials  directly  in  charge,  and  should  be  made  the 
basis  for  ascertaining  and  recording  individual  efficiency  of  employes. 

22 


Efficiency  markings  of  all  employes  should  be  kept  on  individual  history  cards, 
which  should  be  open  at  all  times  for  inspection  by  employes.  The  average  monthly 
efficiency  markings  should  be  kept  in  a  permanent  record  in  the  superintendent's 
office  and  in  the  office  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission. 

In  order  that  the  work  of  determining  efficiency  of  employes  be  simplified,  it  is 
recommended  that  three  factors  be  used,  viz.,  quality,  quantity  and  conduct  in  work 
performed,  with  demerits  for  violations  of  rules  and  regulations  and  non-attendance 
and  for  tardiness.  Rules  governing  the  former  have  already  been  applied  in  other 
departments  of  the  city  for  some  time.  The  factors,  quality  and  quantity  of  work  can 
be   easily   ascertained   from   records   above   referred   to. 

While  orders  have  been  issued  from  time  to  time  from  the  superintendent's  office 
calling  attention  of  regular  employes  to  changes  in  regulations  and  methods,  no  com- 
plete set  of  instructions,  rules  and  regulations  is  available  for  the  guidance  of  em- 
ployes in  carrying  on  the  different  activities.  The  need  for  such  instructions,  definitely 
fixing  methods  to  be  pursued,  is  great;  they  should  be  prepared  and  distributed  to 
all  employes  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  present  system  of  receiving  and  transmitting  telephone  communications  is 
inadequate.  There  is  no  switchboard  connecting  the  two  main  lines  with  the  various 
divisions  of  the  institution.  Messages  for  division  heads  first  come  into  the  office 
on  the  outside  line  and  are  then  transmitted  to  them  over  a  private  system  conducted 
from  an  antiquated  switchboard  in  the  office.  Objection  has  been  raised  to  a  modern 
branch  exchange  system  because  inmates  might  gain  access  thereto.  It  would 
appear,  however,  that  this  danger  could  be  obviated  either  by  having  locks  on  tele- 
phones within  the  institution  or  by  establishing  a  code  for  answering  calls.  The 
switchboard  could  be  operated  by  the  junior  stenographer  whose  duties  are  com- 
paratively light. 

POPULATION— PRISONERS    AND    INMATES. 

In  the  three  main  divisions  of  the  institution,  viz.,  the  men's  division,  the.  women's 
division  and  the  John  Worthy  School  for  Boys,  there  is  an  average  daily  popula- 
tion of  approximately  1,721,  of  which  number  an  average  of  1,506  are  men,  142  women 
and  73  are  boys.  The  distribution  of  these  inmates  among  different  industries  is  indi- 
cated in  Tables  I  and  II,  attached,  and  also  in  the  discussion  of  the  work  of  inmates 
under  the  caption  "Prison  Industries." 

The  men  are  at  the  present  time  housed  in  the  west,  north  and  south  cell  houses 
and  women  are  housed  in  the  women's  cell  house,  which  is  one  of  the  units  of  the 
women's  division.  The  boys'  dormitories  are  located  in  the  John  Worthy  School 
Building. 

Girls  under  eighteen  years  of  age  sentenced  to  the  House  of  Correction  are  sent 
either  to  the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  located  at  1120  Grace  street,  or  to  the  Chi- 
cago Refuge  for  Girls,  located  at  5042  Indiana  avenue,  there  being  no  accommodations 
for  this  class  of  unfortunates  at  the  institution.  Sentences  in  these  cases  are  inde- 
terminate, the  court  leaving  it  to  the  judgment  of  the  head  of  the  institution  as  to  the 
time  the  girls  should  be  required  to  remain.  These  institutions  render  quarterly  bills 
to  the  House  of  Correction  for  the  maintenance  of  these  girls  at  the  rate  of  30  cents 
per  day. 

Of  the  above  total  population  an  average  approximating  360  cases,  or  22.7  per 
cent  of  the  male  population,  and  22  cases,  or  an  average  of  approximately  15.2  per 
cent  of  the  female  population,  are  unavailable  for  any  productive  work.  In  addition 
to  this  number  about  200.  or  12.6  per  cent  of  the  male  population,  consist  of  alcoholics 
and  men  who  are  old  and  infirm  and  who  can  be  counted  on  only  for  the  work  to  which 
they  have  been  accustomed  or  for  the  crudest  of  manual  labor.  The  70  or  more 
boys  who  are  at  the  John  Worthy  School,  are,  of  course,  unavailable  for  any  productive 
work,  which  leaves  the  number  available  approximately  1,000  men  and  about  120 
women. 

23 


The  average  number  and  percentages  of  the  male  population  who  are  unavailable 
for  labor  is  made  up  as  follows: 

Average  No.  Per  cent 

Hospital     70  4.4 

Cranks  and  cripples   132  8.3 

Invalids  in  cells   43  2.7 

Changing  population    40  2.5 

Boys  73  4.6 

Solitary  confinement 4  .2 

Total    362  22.7 

The  average  number  and  percentages  of  men  inmates  who  are  old  and  infirm  and 
alcoholics  and  their  assignment  is  shown  in  the  following: 

-•Average  X^o.  Per  cent 

Farm    9  .6 

Greenhouse  and  lawns    27  1.7 

Yardmen  48  3.0 

Stable    12  .8 

Unemployed    7  .4 

Distributed  through  other  industries   97  6.1 

Total    200  12.6 

The  number  and  percentages  of  the  women  population  who  are  unavailable  for 
work  consist  of  the  following: 

Average  No.  Per  cent 

Hospital    11  8.0 

Women  confined   to   cells    S  3.3 

Changing  population    5  3.4 

Solitary  confinement    1  .5 

Total    22  15.2 

In  the  study  of  the  work  of  men  and  women  inmates,  it  was  brought  out  clearly 
that  the  average  efficiency  of  prison  labor  is  far  less  than  that  of  labor  of  persons 
working  in  the  free  and  open  market.  The  authorities  on  penal  work  differ  on  the 
percentage  of  the  efficiency  of  such  labor,  the  general  opinion  at  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection being  that  the  efficiency  of  this  kind  of  labor  does  not  exceed  33  per  cent, 
while  Mr.  E.  Stagg  Whitin  asserts  in  his  book  on  "Penal  Servitude"  that  the  efficiency 
of  prison  labor  is  at  least  66  per  cent  of  that  of  free  persons. 

Analysis  of  prison  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction  showed  that  the  percentage 
of  efficiency  as  indicated  by  the  value  of  labor  varied  greatly  in  the  different  in- 
dustries, but  that  the  prisoners  did  better  work  and  more  work  in  those  occupations 
and  industries  in  which  commodities  were  manufactured  either  for  the  use  of  the 
institution  or  for  the  municipality  than  when  their  work  was  sold  to  private  con- 
tractors. 

A  similar  condition  was  found  in  the  case  of  women  inmates.  The  women  who 
are  available  for  work  are  assigned  to  the  laundry,  sewing  rooms,  and  general  cleaning 
work,  but  their  health  has  been  undermined  either  as  a  result  of  alcoholism  or  venereal 
diseases,  and  their  moral  status  is  exceedingly  low.  Supervisors  in  charge  of  the 
women  inmates  state  that  the  efficiency  of  such  labor  does  not  exceed  33  per  cent  of 
the  labor  of  women  working  in  the  competitive  market. 

Under  the  proposed  arrangement  whereby  assignments  to  industries  will  he  made 
more  in  accord  with  qualifications  and  with  reference  to  the  welfare  of  prisoners, 
efficiency  of  such  labor  will  be  materially  increased  and  returns  should  be  increased 
to  at  least  the  figure  indicated  by  Mr.  Whitin. 

Another  element  which  must  be  considered  in  assignment  and  distribution  of 
prisoners  to  work  and  in  improving  efficiency  of  labor  is  the  question  of  food  which  is 
necessary  for  persons  kept  within  walls.  At  the  present  time  food  furnished  the  pris- 
oners is  lacking  both  in  nourishment  and  quantity.  Both  the  superintendent  of  the 
House   of   Correction   and   the   medical   superintendent  agree   that   inmates   should   be 

24 


given  food  containing  at  least  twice  as  much  protein  as  they  receive  at  present. 
On  the  present  diet,  inmates  who  are  kept  in  confinement  for  periods  of  six  months  or 
more  may  continue  active  work  for  the  greater  part  of  this  period,  but  their  health 
usually  breaks  down  in  some  way  or  other  in  the  end.  The  average  cost  of  the 
food  now  furnished  to  the  prisoners,  exclusive  of  labor,  heat,  etc.,  required  to  prepare 
it,  averages  approximately  11  cents  per  day  per  inmate.  This  figure  makes  it  prac- 
tically impossible  to  furnish  the  quality  of  food  which  would  enable  prisoners  to  work 
to  best  advantage  and  to  get  into  condition  whereby  they  will  be  enabled  to  com- 
pete with  free  labor  when  their  terms  are  ended.  Provision  has  been  made  in  the  1914 
appropriation  ordinance  for  additional  expenditure  of  $5,000  for  general  supplies,  and 
this  amount  should  be  utilized  in  improving  the  quality  and  quantity  of  food  given 
to  prisoners. 

HOUSING,  SANITATION,  MEDICAL  CARE  AND  WELFARE. 

Housing. 

Of  the  three  cell  houses  occupied  by  men  inmates,  one,  the  south  cell  house,  is 
antiquated  and  is  generally  unsuited  for  its  present  purpose.  The  sanitary  arrange- 
ments are  bad  and  prisoners  are  not  assigned  to  the  top  tier  of  cells  which  are  the 
worst  except  at  that  season  of  the  year  when  the  population  is  greatest.  This  cell 
house  should  be  replaced  at  an  early  date  by  one  of  modern  construction.  The  west 
cell  house  is  new  and  of  modern  construction,  having  a  toilet  and  wash  basin  in 
every  cell.  The  building  is  scrupulously  clean  and  inmates  assigned  to  this  cell  house 
take  pride  in  keeping  it  so. 

The  cell  house  occupied  by  the  women  is  also  of  modern  construction,  and  is 
well  adapted  for  the  use  to  which  it  is  put. 

In  the  John  Worthy  School  for  Boys,  the  dormitory  is  located  in  a  large,  well 
ventilated  room  and  every  boy  has  a  separate  iron  bed,  neatly  made  up.  A  guard 
remains  in  the  room  during  sleeping  hours. 

Sanitation. 

Sanitary  conditions  throughout  the  institution  are  fairly  good  although  in  the 
two  old  cell  houses  occupied  by  men,  viz.,  the  north  and  south  cell  houses,  toilet 
facilities  are  bad.  When  the  old  cell  houses  are  replaced  by  modern  ones  bad  con- 
ditions will  have  been  removed. 

Drainage  of  the  grounds  is  good  and  conditions  and  arrangements  in  the  kitchen 
and  bakery  where  food  is  prepared  for  all  inmates  are  satisfactory,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  some  wooden  tubs  used  as  receptacles  for  food.  These  should  be  replaced 
at  once  with  galvanized  iron  or  tin  tubs. 

Medical  Care. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1910  a  license  was  applied  for  and  granted  to  the  Sceleth 
Hospital  for  the  purpose  of  treating  alcoholics  and  other  sick  persons  found  on  the 
street  by  the  police.  Although  the  Sceleth  and  the  House  of  Correction  hospitals 
are  practically  one  in  that  they  are  located  in  the  same  place  and  have  the  same 
medical  superintendent  and  assistants,  the  Sceleth  is  legally  a  separate  institution,  and 
in  the  last  few  years  has  grown  to  become  practically  a  municipal  emergency  hospital. 
The  arrangement  under  which  it  is  organized  makes  it  possible  to  treat  emergency 
cases  without  committing  patients  first  to  the  House  of  Correction. 

The  organization  of  the  hospital  stafif  is  as  follows:  The  medical  superintendent 
has  under  him  four  internes  and  two  nurses,  one  of  whom  is  assigned  to  the  women's 
hospital.  The  1913  budget  provided  for  but  two  internes  at  $300  per  year.  The  Board 
of  Education  provided  one  for  the  school  at  the  same  rate,  and  the  other  has  been  paid 
from  a  petty  cash  fund  at  the  rate  of  $10  per  month.  Internes  are  required  to  attend 
several  clinics  each  week,  and  to  make  daily  inspection  of  prisoners  in  cell  houses. 
One  nurse,  having  no  other  assistance  than  inmates'  help,  is  required  to  attend  to  all 
main  hospital  cases. 

25 


The  medical  superintendent  has  the  assistance  of  a  consulting  staff  of  specialists 
who  give  their  services  part  of  a  day  each  week  without  charge  to  the  city.  Through 
their  work  prisoners  have  the  advantage  of  the  best  there  is  in  medicine  and  surgery, 
and  the  hospital  is  thus  given  a  higher  rank  than  would  otherwise  be  possible. 

The  hospital  is  located  on  the  second  and  third  floors  of  the  main  building  and 
consists  of  one  large  ward  and  several  small  ones.  There  are  operating  and  sterilizing 
rooms  which  are  also  used  for  clinics,  being  fairly  well  equipped  with  tables,  instru- 
ments and  other  necessary  paraphernalia.  In  addition  there  is  a  women's  hospital 
located  in  the  women's  department,  and  also  a  ward  in  the  John  Worthy  School  for 
Boys. 


EXHIBIT  V. 

Interior  view  of  hospital.  House  of  Correction,  showing  baths,  toilets, 
wash  basins  and  beds  in  main  ward. 

The  principal  features  of  the  general  arrangement  of -the  hospital,  which  should 
be  remedied  at  the  earliest  time  are: 

(a)  The  toilet  and  bath  facilities  are  located  in  the  main  ward,  and  are 
separated  from  the  cots  only  by  a  set  of  screens,  as  shown  by  Ex- 
hibit V. 

(b)  The  space  is  insufficient,  resulting;  in  mal-organization  and  poor  ar- 
rangement.    This  condition  is  well  shown  in.  Exhibit  V. 

The  1914  budget  provides  for  five  additional  nurses  and  one  druggist,  who  is  to 
have  charge  of  compounding  medicines.  Additional  nurses  will  make  possible  assign- 
ment of  a  responsible  person  to  the  hospital  at  all  times  to  take  temperatures,  give 
medicine,  write  histories,  and  perform  other  related  duties. 

26 


While  there  can  be  little  crticism  of  the  work  done  at  the  Sceleth  Hospital  under 
the  present  medical  superintendent,  it  appears  that  the  work  of  the  hospital  for  police 
emergency  cases  is  in  no  way  connected  with  work  of  the  House  of  Correction.  It 
would  seem  that  such  an  emergency  city  hospital  should  be  conducted  and  maintained 
as  a  separate  organization,  having  no  direct  connection  with  the  penal  institution,  and 
that  further  study  be  given  to  this  point. 

Under  the  present  system  each  imnate  as  he  is  received  at  the  institution  under- 
goes a  thorough  examination  and  is  vaccinated,  and  a  daily  inspection  is  made  every 
morning  before  inmates  are  sent  from  the  cell  house  to  their  respective  tasks.  This 
daily  inspection  enables  the  medical  staff  to  have  control  of  the  situation  at  all  times 
and  prevent  epidemics.  Subsidiary  dispensaries  for  this  purpose  are  located  in  all 
cell  houses,  each  of  which  is  in  charge  of  an  inmate  who,  under  the  direction  of  an 
interne,  distributes  simple  remedies  to  the  inmates. 

Welfare. 

While  the  present  management  has  been  desirous  of  making  a  number  of  changes 
to  further  improve  the  welfare  of  prisoners,  the  fact  is  that  expense  of  operation  has 
been  greater  than  returns,  and  the  present  limitations  of  general  administration  have 
prevented  adoption  of  some  more  advanced  methods  of  caring  for  the  inmates 
as   practiced   in  penal   institutions   in   other   cities. 

In  addition  to  looking  after  welfare  of  inmates  during  their  confinement,  the 
superintendent  and  a  group  of  citizens  have  endeavored  to  give  released  prisoners  a  fair 
start  through  the  work  of  the  "Parting  of  the  Ways  Home,"  which  home  is  entirely 
separate  from  the  House  of  Correction.  If  at  the  time  of  release  men  desire  to  secure 
work  they  are  given  a  card  of  introduction  to  the  home  and  are  cared  for  and  clothed 
until  work  is  found  for  them.  A  large  proportion  of  prisoners  avail  themselves  of  this 
opportunity  to  secure   lodging  and  work. 

Religious  services  are  held  at  the  institution  by  different  denominations  once  each 
week,  and  prisoners  are  urged  to  avail  themselves  of  such  services.  On  Sundays, 
after  chapel,  the  superintendent,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  encouragement  and 
raising  their  moral  standards,  gives  audience  to  inmates  about  any  grievances  and 
advises  with   them  as  to  their  conduct  and  plans  for  the  future. 

On  the  important  holidays  of  the  year  entertainments  are  provided  by  charitable 
organizations  of  the  city.  A  library  is  maintained  at  the  institution  and  many  pris- 
oners spend  much  of  their  spare  time  in  reading.  The  library  is  increased  from  time 
to  time  by  donations  from  the  Chicago  Public  Library  and  from  private  individuals. 
Aside  from  the  above  little  provision  has  been  made  for  any  direct  instruction 
of  inmates  either  in  common  branches  or  in  the  trades.  The  practice  of  providing 
lectures  and  night  school  instruction  work,  especially  in  trades,  after  inmates  have 
completed  their  day's  work,  adopted  by  penal  institutions  in  other  cities,  has  proved 
to  be  a  success.  These  offer  greatest  opportunities  for  reformation  and  the  raising 
of  moral  and  mental  character  of  inmates.  It  is  recommended  that  extension  of  this 
work  to  this  institution  be  given  careful  consideration,  and  that  civic  organizations 
and  committees  be  interested  to  co-operate  by  providing  books,  lectures  and  aid  in 
this  betterment  work. 

Students  of  penology  are  unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  prisoners  should  be  com- 
pensated for  their  labor,  and  that  a  portion  of  the  money  earned  by  the  convict  during 
his  term  of  imprisonment  should  cither  be  held  and  paid  to  him  upon  his  release,  or 
that  it  should  be  given  to  his  family  as  a  means  of  support  during  his  incarceration. 
The  American  Federation  of  Labor  has  passed,  atnong  others,  the  following  reso- 
lution: 

That  some  system  of  compensation  should  be  arranged  whereby  the 
state  would  charge  itself  at  the  prevailing  market  price  for  all  products 
manufactured  in  its  penal  institutions,  crediting  each  prisoner  with  the 
amount  thus  allowed,  so  that  after  deducting  from  such  the  cost  of  main- 
taining the  prisoners  and  other  necessary  costs  of  maintenance,  the  bal- 
ance, if  any,  should  be  paid  to  the  family  of  the  prisoner,  or  the  person 
suffering  financial  loss  through  the  crime  of  the  prisoner,  or  kept  and  paid 
to  the  prisoner  at   his  discharge. 


The  desirability  of  providing  compensation  for  prisoners  was  considered  by  the 
present  Board  of  Inspectors  and  Superintendent  of  House  of  Correction  early  in 
1912,  and  a  report  was  submitted  by  them  indicating  what  they  found  in  Detroit.  The 
plan  on  which  the  Detroit  House  of  Correction  has  been  working  is  given  in  the 
following  excerpt  of  the  report  of  the  Board  of  Inspectors  and  the  Superintendent  of 
the  House  of  Correction  of  this  city  made  at  the  time  of  their  visit  to  that  city: 

The  inmates  were  divided  into  three  classes,  and  given  the  follow- 
ing compensation  (providing  good  conduct  and  industry  were  shown  by 
them): 

Inmates  of  the  first  class,  those  serving  sentences  of  one  year  or  more 
who  are  of  fair  mental  and  physical  ability,  capable  of  performing  a  rea- 
sonable day's  work,  and  whose  general  conduct  is  such  as  to  warrant  the 
belief  that  they  are  desirous  of  improving  their  present  condition  and  co- 
operate with  the  management,  aid  and  assist  in  general  good  order,  dis- 
cipline and  operation  of  the  industries.  Each  inmate  of  this  class  to  be 
given  10  cents  for  each  full  day's  work  performed. 

Inmates  of  the  second  class,  those  whose  sentences  are  for  a  period 
of  six  months  or  more,  and  less  than  one  year,  to  be  given  7  cents  for 
each  full  day's  work  performed. 

Inmates  of  the  third  class,  those  whose  sentences  are  for  less  than  six 
months  and  not  less  than  30  days,  to  be  given  5  cents  for  each  full  day's 
work  performed. 

It  was  estimated  that  to  make  these  payments  to  prisoners  would  re- 
quire not  to  exceed  $7,000  per  annum.     The  Detroit  City  Council  at  that 
time  authorized  the  Board  of  Inspectors  to  adopt  the  plan,  and  to  make 
such  payments  out  of  the  earnings  of  the  institution,  which  was  done  there- 
after until  July  1,  1910,  when  the  Board  of  Inspectors  were  authorized  to 
increase  the  payments  from  ten,   seven  and  five  cents  per  day  to  twenty, 
fifteen,  and  ten  cents  per  day,  this  applying  to  all  prisoners  excepting  those 
sentenced  to  less  than  30  days,  and  under  the  same  conditions  as  previous 
payments  had  been  made. 
Authorities   in   charge    of   those   penal    institutions    where   a   sj'stem   of   compensa- 
tion for  the  prisoners  is  in  use  agree  that  the  efficiency  of  prison  labor  is  very  greatly 
increased  through  this  incentive. 

Under  the  plan  of  reorganization  as  contemplated  in  this  report  the  Superintendent 
of  the  House  of  Correction  should  work  out  a  plan  for  compensation  of  inmates 
of  the  institution,  which  compensation  shall  bear  a  definite  relation  to  the  value  of 
the  prisoner's  services.  Perfecting  of  this  plan  will,  of  course,  be  dependent  on  making 
the  House  of  Correction  a  self-supporting  institution.  It  is  recommended  that  im- 
mediate consideration  be  given  to  the  adoption  of  a  plan  whereby  longer  term  pris- 
oners and  those  dependent  upon  them  be  paid  a  fixed  amount,  depending  upon  their 
industry  and  good  behavior. 

JOHN  WORTHY  SCHOOL  FOR  BOYS. 

Juvenile  offenders  under  seventeen  years  of  age  are  sentenced  to  the  John  Worthy 
School  for  Boys,  which  is  operated  under  a  joint  arrangement  between  the  Board  of 
Inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  and  the  Board  of  Education.  Under  this  ar- 
rangement the  supervisor,  matrons  and  guards  are  paid  by  the  city,  and  the  principal, 
teachers  and  one  interne  are  paid  by  the  Board  of  Education. 

At  present  there  are  112  boys  in  the  school,  although  there  are  accommodations 
for  about  400.  The  average  cost  of  maintenance  per  boy  per  day  under  the  present 
conditions  is  about  $1.25  although  the  total  overhead  cost  would  not  be  much  greater 
even  if  the  school  were  running  at  its  full  capacity.  In  addition  to  this  high  mainte- 
nance cost,  there  is  a  considerable  loss  due  to  the  non-use  of  much  mechanical  and 
other  equipment. 

Besides  this,  there  are  two  other  vital  objections  to  the  school  as  now  consti- 
tuted. The  confining  of  boys  behind  bars  has  an  exceedingly  bad  effect  in  that  it 
seriously  hampers  the  mental  and  moral  development  which  is  to  be  desired  in  a 
school  of  this  kind.  The  fact  that  there  is  no  segregation  of  boys  who  are  merely 
obstreperous  and  who  need  only  a  little  training  to   make  them  good  citizens,   from 

28 


other  boys  who  show  criminal  tendencies,  frequently  results  in  contamination  of 
younger  boys  because  of  close  association  with  the  older  and  more  criminal  element. 

Objections  noted  above  have  been  appreciated  by  the  Superintendent  of  the  House 
of  Correction  and  the  Board  of  Education,  and  arrangements  have  from  time  to  time 
been  suggested  to  have  juvenile  offenders  committed  to  some  other  institution. 

On  January  7,  1914,  an  agreement  was  entered  into  by  representatives  of  the  City 
Council,  the  county  and  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  erection  of  a  new  building  to 
which  juvenile  offenders  should  be  sent,  and  the  turning  over  of  the  present  John 
Worthy  School  buildings  to  the  House  of  Correction.  The  agreement  provided  that  the 
county  purchase  one  hundred  sixty  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  Oak  Forest  Infir- 
mary; that  the  Board  of  Education  erect  a  school  building  and  an  administration  build- 
ing, and  that  the  city  build  a  dormitory  and  maintain  the  school.  At  this  writing  the 
county  board  has  already  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  the  City  Council  has  made 
an  appropriation  of  $25,000  for  the  erection  of  the  dormitory,  and  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation has  also  appropriated  $25,000  for  the  erection  of  a  school  building  near  the 
Oak   Forest   Infirmary. 

When  these  buildings  are  completed  it  is  planned  that  buildings  at  present  occu- 
pied by  the  John  Worthy  School  will  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  House  of  Correc- 
tion, and  the  House  of  Correction  and  Sceleth  Hospitals  will  be  moved  to  these 
buildings.  The  cranks  and  cripples  will  be  moved  to  the  school  buildings  from  their 
present  location,  making  possible  improvements  in  organization  and  equipment  of 
the  hospital,  and  segregation  of  younger  prisoners  sentenced  to  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection. Space  vacated  bv  the  hospital  will  be  utilized  for  other  activities,  and  other 
parts   of  the   institution  will   be  made   available   for   manufacturing  purposes. 

The  working  out  of  these  plans,  which  should  be  accomplished  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, will  materially  aid  the  House  of  Correction  in  care  and  maintenance  of  present 
inmates  who  are  kept  in  close  quarters  at  the  south  cell  house,  and  permit  of  segrega- 
tion of  younger  inmates. 

CONTRACT  PRISON  LABOR. 

The  number  of  industries  and  the  distribution  of  inmates  to  these  industries  are 
indicated  on  Tables  I  and  II  attached  hereto.  These  tables  show  that  during  the  year 
ending  September  30,  1913,  in  addition  to  over  thirty  industries  which  were  conducted  for 
municipal  use,  two  private  contract  shops  were  operating  under  a  verbal  contract  agree- 
ment, and  one  private  contract  shop  operating  under  a  verbal  piece-price  arrangement. 
During  the  investigation  a  fourth  contract  shop  was  permitted  to  come  into  the  institu- 
tion and  operate  under  a  verbal-contract  agreement. 

As  indicated  under  the  caption  "Prison  Labor  and  Industries,"  the  contracts  with 
the  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company,  and  with  the  Chicago  Broom  Company  are 
both  of  long  standing,  and  were  continued  by  the  present  Board  of  Inspectors  in  order, 
as  they  state,  to  "let  well  enoup-h  alone."  .\rrangements  with  the  Inland  Purse  Com- 
pany and  the  Mutual  Garment  Company,  the  latter  having  begun  at  this  institution  in 
December  and  since  discontinued,  were  entered  into   by  the  present  Board  of   Inspectors. 

In  all  cases  where  private  contractors  have  entered  into  an  agreement  for  using  labor 
at  the  institution  arrangements  have  been  made  through  verbal  agreement  by  the  Board 
of  Inspectors  and  the  contractors,  and  always  with  the  understanding  that  such  arrange- 
ments could  be  terminated  at  any  time  by  either  party.  The  question  as  to  power  or 
authority  of  the  action  of  past  Boards  or  the  present  Board  of  Inspectors  to  make  such 
verba:  agreements  and  contracts  contemplated  for  the  output  of  prison  labor  has  been 
raised  from  time  to  time,  and  while  it  has  been  generally  agreed  that  such  practice  is  sub- 
ject to  abuse  and  should  be  discouraged  and  discontinued,  no  legal  opinion  was  requested 
or  rendered  upon  same.     Accordingly  the  practice  has  continued. 

During  the  investigation  this  point  was  again  raised,  and  an  opinion  of  the  Corpora- 
tion Counsel  was  requested  by  the  secretary  of  the  present  board  to  settle  definitely  this 
question.  On  March  18,  1914,  an  opinion  was  rendered  by  the  Corporation  Counsel  on 
the  question  of  the  authority  of  the  board  or  City  Council  to  enter  into  contract  for 
letting  out  of  prison  labor  at  the  said  institution,  which  in  summary  states  that  "neither 
the  Board  of  Inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  nor  the   City   Council  of  the  city  of 

29 


Chicago  has  power  or  authority  to  make  such  a  contract  as  is  contemplated  for  the  out- 
put of  prison  labor."     The  opinion  in  full  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  II. 

The  practicability  and  economy  of  immediate  discontinuance  of  the  contract  system 
is  shown  by  the  figures  of  receipts  from  the  private  contractors  and  the  profits  made  by 
these  contractors  in  the  use  of  convict  labor,  and  the  earnings  and  receipts  which  the  in- 
stitution could  make,  were  labor  of  the  inmates  directed  entirely  to  the  manufacture  of 
commodities  and  service  of  various  city  departments  and  other  civil  divisions. 

In  detailed  analysis  of  management  of  the  contract  industries,  it  has  also  been 
clearly  shown  that  the  contract  system  of  employing  prison  labor  is  prejudicial  to  the 
welfare  of  prisoners  and  those  dependent  upon  them,  as  well  as  to  the  institution.  This 
system  should  be  discontinued  at  the  earliest  feasible  time.  In  its  stead  definite  plans 
should  be  provided  for  use  of  the  labor  of  prisoners  and  the  commodities  manufactured 
by  them  in  their  manifold  activities  by  the  city  and  other  civil  divisions,  viz..  Cook 
county,  the  park  boards,  the  Sanitary  District  and  the  Board  of  Education. 

The  attitude  of  the  present  administration  on  this  matter  is  clearly  indicated  in  the 
following  letter  which  was  sent  by  His  Honor  the  Mayor  to  the  Superintendent  of  the 
House  of  Correction  on  January  20,  1914 : 

Mr.  John  L.  IVhitmoH, 

Supt.  House  of  Correction. 

Dear  Sir:  The  recent  criticisms  directed  against  the  contracts  of  the 
House  of  Correction  by  Alderman  Merriam  have  directed  my  attention  to 
the  small  sum  paid  by  the  contractors  for  the  labor  of  your  institution, 
and  this  has  suggested  the  idea  of  yourself  and  the  inspectors  of  the  House 
of  Correction  taking  early  action  looking  to  the  employment  of  your  labor 
in  more  remunerative  undertakings. 

The  idea  has  occurred  to  me  that  the  most  profitable  results,  and  results 
the  least  liable  to  criticism,  would  be  obtained  were  all  the  institution  labor 
to  be  employed  in  undertakings  operated  by  the  House  of  Correction  for  its 
own  profit.  In  other  words,  if  it  would  be  profitable  for  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection to  operate  the  brick  industry  and  the  stone-crushing  industry  your- 
self, and  for  its  own  profit,  why  would  not  a  similar  method  be  profitable  in 
the  broom,  leather  novelty  and  other  industries  operated  for  outside  con- 
tractors? It  might  be  advisable  to  make  a  start  on  the  theory  of  crediting 
the  House  of  Correction  with  an  amount  equal  to  that  paid  by  the  outside 
contractors  for  your  labor,  and  credit  the  additional  earnings  to  the  individual 
account  of  the  unfortunates  themselves,  to  be  handed  over  to  them  at  the 
time   they   are   released   from   the   House   of   Correction. 

I  would  be  very  glad  to  talk  this  matter  over  with  you  at  your  earliest 
convenience.  By  calling  Mr.  Fitzmorris  you  can  make  an  appointment 
with  me  for  almost  any  day  this  week.  Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)     CARTER   H.  H.ARRISON, 

Mayor. 

While  this  investigation  was  under  completion,  and  following  the  receipt  by  the  Su- 
perintendent of  the  House  of  Correction  of  the  above  letter  from  His  Honor  the  Mayor, 
the  matter  of  the  discontinuance  of  contract  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction  was  taken 
up  by  the  Board  of  Inspectors  and  the  following  letters  were  directed  to  contractors  who 
were  active   at   the   House   of   Correction : 

January   30,    1914. 
The  Inland  Purse  Company.  512  South  Fifth  Avenue.  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Attention  of  Mr.  Goodman. 
Dear  Sirs:     Referring  to  our  conversation  over  the  telephone  some  days 
ago,   I   desire  to  inform  you   that   I   reported  to  the   Board   of   Inspectors  the 
proposition  you  made  to  me  to  the  effect  that  you  would  wind  up  the  affairs 
of  your  company,  in  so  far  as  this  institution  is  concerned,  during  March,  or 
not   later    than    .\pril    1st. 

I  am  now  authorized  by  the  Board  of  Inspectors  to  advise  you  that  your 
proposition  is  acceptable,  and  that  we  will  co-operate  with  you  in  any  way 
that  we  can  and  at  the  same  time  serve  the  interests  of  the  institution. 

Thanking  you  for  the  courtesy  extended  to  me  during  the  time  that 
your  company  has  been  doing  business  here,  and  regretting  that  your  busi- 
ness has  not  been  more  profitable,   I   am,  Verv   truly   yours 

(Signed)     JOHN   L.   WHIT.M.-XN, 

Superintendent. 
30 


The  following  letter  was   sent  to  the  Chicago   Broom  Company,  on  January  30,   1914 : 

The  Chicago  Broom  Coinf'aiiv,  354  North  Chirk  Street,  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Attention  of  Mr.  Cahill. 

Dear  Sirs:  In  pursuance  of  our  conversation  a  few  days*  ago,  regard- 
ing the  employment  of  the  lahor  of  the  inmates  of  this  institution  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  brooms  for  your  company,  will  say  that  I  am  now  authorized  by 
the  Board  of  Inspectors  to  say  to  you  that  the  policy  of  leasing  out  to  pri- 
vate concerns  the  labor  of  the  inmates  will  in  the  near  future  be  abandoned. 
I  hereby  request  that  the  affairs  of  your  company  be  managed  accordingly. 
I  believe  I  gave  you  some  idea  of  the  date  when  this  change  would  be  ef- 
fected. 

If  you  desire  any  further  information  in  regard  to  it,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
give  it  to  you  in  my  office  at  any  time. 

Very   truly  yours, 

(Signed)     JOHN   L.   WHITMAN, 

Superintendent. 

This  communication  was  sent  to  the  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company  on 
January   29,    1914: 

Chicago  Leather  &  Mercantile  Com/'any,  628  IVcst  Twelfth  Street,  Chicago,  III. 

Dear  Sirs:  I  am  authorized  by  His  Honor  the  Mayor,  and  by  the 
Board  of  Inspectors,  to  inform  you  that  the  policy  of  leasing  to  private 
concerns  the  labor  of  inmates  of  this  institution,  as  is  done  now,  will,  in  the 
near  future,  be  abandoned.  In  view  of  that  fact,  I  desire  to  request  you  to 
regulate  the   affairs   of  your  company   accordingly. 

In  order  that  our  plans  may  be  carried  out,  we  shall  require  that  the 
space  now  occupied  by  you  in  the  manufacture  of  tufts,  etc.,  be  turned 
over  to  us  not  later  than   May   1,   1914. 

It  would  seem  that  the  amount  of  leather  now  on  hand  in  the  institu- 
tion would  be  sufficient  for  you  to  work  on  until  that  time,  without  bring- 
ing in  any  more.  If  there  is  any  reason  that  you  are  cognizant  of  why  more 
should  be  brought  here,  I  desire  that  you  take  the  matter  up  with  me  before 
having  it  sent. 

Trusting  that  you  will  consistently  carry  out  our  wishes  in  this  regard, 
I    am. 

Very  truly  yours, 

(Signed)     JOHN   L.   WHITMAN, 

Superintendent. 

After  the  transmission  of  the  above  letters  to  the  present  contractors  and  after  re- 
ceipt by  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the  opinion  of  the  Corporation  Counsel  relative  to 
the  authority  of  the  board  to  enter  into  contract  for  letting  out  of  labor  at  the  institution, 
the  board  on  March  19,  1914,  voted  to  extend  the  contract  of  the  Chicago  Leather  and 
Mercantile  Company  for  a  further  period  of  six  months,  in  order,  as  the  inspectors 
stated  "that  they  might  have  an  opportunity  to  use  up  a  large  amount  of  scrap  leather 
still  remaining  on  hand  at  the  institution." 

The  inadvisibility  of  this  action  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  board  of  in- 
spectors by  the  efficiency  division,  and  on  March  23,  1914,  two  of  the  inspectors,  name- 
ly, Messrs.  Matthias  AUer  and  A.  A.  Burger,  in  a  conference  with  representatives  of  the 
efficiency  division,  stated  that  they  would  agree  to  termination  of  the  contract  with 
the  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company  as  per  the  terms  of  the  letter  of  Jan- 
uary 29,  above  quoted,  if  that  were  the  recommendation  of  the  committee  on  finance  of 
the  City  Council  and  the  efficiency  division.  The  division  recommends  that  this  con- 
tract be  terminated  on  the  date  signified  in  the  letter  of  January  29,  and  that  inmates 
now  assigned  to  this  work  be  put  on  the  work  of  manufacturing  supplies  for  city  de- 
partments,   hereinafter    cited. 

During  this  investigation  local  representatives  of  organized  labor  were  in  confer- 
ence with  the  sub-committee  of  the  Committee  on  Finance  and  the  Efficiency  Division 
relative  to  contract  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction,  and  statements  made  by  these  rep- 
resentatives are  generally  indicated  in  the   following  communication  : 

31 


We  recommend  that  contract  labor  at  the  Bridewell  be  discontinued 
entirely. 

We  recommend  that  an  increased  number  of  prisoners  be  put  to  crush- 
ing stone  for  city  use. 

We    recommend    that    push    brooms    and    brooms    of    every    description 

for    city    use"  only,    boulevard    scrapers,    street    dirt    carts,    street    dirt    boxes, 

paper  burners  and  "Street  Closed"  signs,  be  made  by  the  prisoners  at  the 

Bridewell,  and  also   to  employ  prisoners  to  work  at  the  city  reduction  plant. 

COMMITTEE   ON    CONVICT    LABOR, 

Chicago   Federation   of   Labor. 

The  attitude  of  union  labor  on  the  matter  of  the  state-use  system  of  prison  labor 
as  opposed  to  the  contract  system  is  well  known.  Mr.  John  Mitchell,  seventh  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  Federation  of  Labor  says  (Prison  Labor  Leaflet  No.  11,  "The  Wage 
Earner   and   the   Prison  Worker")  : 

Organized    labor    is    the    strongest    and    most    persistent    advocate    of    the 
employment    of    convicts    in    the    prisons    upon    those    commodities    which    are 
needed   by   the   state   and  its   sub-divisions   for   consumption   in   its   several   in- 
institutions    and    departments. 
Mr.  Mitchell  further  states  (Prison  Labor  Bulletin,  March,  1912),  that  the  findings 
of  the  National  Committee  on  Prison  Labor  in  regard  to  the  contract  system  agree  with 
the  stand  taken  by  the  trade  unionists.     Such  findings  are  as   follows : 

After  one  year  of  study  the  National   Committee  on   Prison   Labor   found 
the  preponderance  of   evidence  to  be  in   favor  of  the  state-use  system :   after 
a    second    year    of    study,    and    further    investigation,    the    committee    is    in    a 
position  to  declare  as  prejudicial  to  the  welfare  of  the  prisoner,  the  prisoner's 
family,   and   the   public,   the   contract   system   of   prison   labor.     The   committee 
therefore   declares   itself   opposed   to  the   contract   system   of   prison   labor   and 
to   every   other   system   which   exploits   his    labor    to   the    detriment   of   the 
prisoner. 
The    following    resolution    adopted    by    the    Illinois    State    Federation    of    Labor    at    a 
convention  in  which   fraternal  delegates  were   in  attendance  from   Indiana,   Iowa,   Minne- 
sota,  Missouri,  Ohio  and  Wisconsin,  and  which  appeared  in  the  "Weekly  Bulletin  of   the 
Clothing  Trades,"  November   10,   1911,   further  indicates  the  stand  of  union  labor  on   this 
point : 

We  believe  with  modern  criminologists: 

That  nearly  all  prisoners  in  penal  institutions  are  morally  sick  people 
and  can  be  cured;  that  the  primary  purpose  of  confinement  is  reform  and  not 
punishment;  that  it  is  cheaper  in  the  last  analysis  to  reform  the  prisoners, 
and  that  the  efforts  of  the  state  and  state  officials  should  be  toward  this  end. 
That  the  labor  of  these  prisoners  should  not  be  exploited  for  the  ben- 
efit of  any  private  individual  or  for  the  state  itself  ;  that  many  of  tliese  pris- 
oners sent  to  prison  leave  behind  them  dependent  families,  whom  the  state 
is  compelled  to  support,  either  by  private  or  public  charity. 

That  some  system  of  compensation  should  be  arranged  whereby  the  state 
would  charge  itself  at  the  prevailing  market  price  for  all  products  manufac- 
tured in  its  penal  institutions,  crediting  each  prisoner  witli  the  amount  thus 
earned,  so  after  deducting  from  such  the  cost  of  maintenance  of  the  pris- 
oner and  other  necessary  costs  for  maintenance,  the  balance,  if  any,  should 
be  paid  to  the  family  of  the  prisoner,  or  the  person  suffering  financial  loss 
through  the  crime  of  the  prisoner,  or  kept  and  paid  to  the  prisoner  at  his 
discharge. 

That  the  provisions  of  the  present  law  should  be  extended  so  that  not 
only  state  institutions,  but  institutions  in  counties,  cities,  and  other  political 
subdivisions  of  the  state  and  school  districts,  should  be  compelled  under  a  pen- 
alty to  secure  wherever  possible  everything  they  need   by  prison  labor. 

And  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  the  state  should  provide  a  method  for 
the  care  of  prisoners  when  discharged  or  paroled,  whereby  they  may  secure 
employment,  or  a  place  provided  where  they  may  remain  until  they  do  secure 
employment  in  order  that  they  be  not  compelled  to   fall  back  into  crime. 

EXTENSION   OF   MUNICIPAL  INDUSTRIES— FARM   COLONY. 
Extension  of  Municipal  Industries. 

Reform  of  the  wayward  is  the  aid  of  modern  penology.  Convicts  must  be  so  devel- 
oped by  proper  industrial  education,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  conform  to  standards 
of   modern   community   life.     The   sick,   disabled,   and   alcoholics   must   first   be   restored   to 

32 


health  by  medical  attention.  Mental  and  moral  betterment  must  be  secured  through 
instruction  in  night  schools  and  by  lectures,  use  of  the  library,  and  attendance  at  chapel. 

The  fundamental  requirement  is,  however,  training  and  education  in  useful  arts, 
such  as  will  enable  the  convict  to  earn  an  honest  living  and  develop  self-dependence 
and  self-respect  upon  release.  One  primary  cause  why  individuals  are  separated  from 
society  and  placed  in  institutions  of  this  kind  is  that  they  are  unable  to  compete  with 
normal  persons  m  ordinary  walks  of  life.  Training  at  this  institution  should  be  such 
as  will  tend  to  put  such  unfortunates  on  their  feet. 

Industries  at  the  penal  institution  should  be  diversified  and  so  established  as  to 
insure  against  enforced  idleness.  In  this  way  it  will  be  easier  to  assign  convicts  to 
work  with  which  they  are  familiar,  and  to  furnish  training  which  will  be  helpful  upon 
their  release. 

The  municipality  should  in  so  far  as  practicable  supply  its  demands  with  the  prod- 
ucts  of   prisoners   who    labor   under    its    direction.     The    market    afforded    by    the    various 


EXHIBIT  VI. 

View  showing  the  undeveloped  land  at  the  rear  of  brick  shed,  House  of  Correction, 
which  may  be  devoted  to  industrial  purposes. 

city  departments  and  other  municipalities  existing  in  Chicago  constitute  an  outlet  for 
the  goods  and  services  of  this  institution  and  enable  it  to  run  at  ma.ximum  efficiency. 
Supplying  this  market  should  not  be  based  upon  the  theory  of  competition,  but  upon  that 
of  co-operation,  and  will  be  made  possible  by  centralizing  control  and  by  mutual  agree- 
ment. 

The  contract  system  of  prison  labor  has  been  found  to  be  generally  detrimental  to 
discipline  and  to  the  reformation  of  prisoners,  and  is  often  injurious  to  the  interests  of 
free  labor.  For  these  reasons  alone,  this  system  of  prison  labor  should  be  discontinued 
entirely. 

There  are  a  large  number  of  industries  in  which  inmates  could  be  made  to  work  for 
the  benefit  of  the  city  departments   and  various  other  civil  divisions,  viz.,  the   park   boards, 

33 


Cook  County,  the  Board  of  Education,  the  Public  Library  and  the  Sanitary  District  of 
Chicago.  A  study  has  been  made  of  work  now  being  done  at  the  House  of  Correction, 
and  of  industries  which  can  be  extended  with  little  outlay  of  money  for  manufacture  of 
commodities  and  for  services  for  the  above  public  institutions,  and  of  new  municipal  use 
industries.  It  is  desirable  that  an  order  be  issued  to  the  various  department  heads  of 
the  city  to  exert  every  means  possible  for  utilization  of  prison  labor  and  products  man- 
ufactured at  the  House  of  Correction  in  operation  of  the  manifold  activities  of  different 
departments.  Every  effort  should  be  also  directed  to  influence  the  proper  authorities  of 
Cook  County,  the  park  boards,  the  Board  of  Education,  the  Public  Library,  the  Sanitary 
District  of  Chicago  and  other  civil  divisions  to  utilize,  in  so  far  as  possible,  such  prison 
labor  and  products  as  they  may  need  which  could  be  furnished  or  manufactured  advan- 
tageously at  this   institution. 

As  a  result  of  the  analysis  made,  it  has  been  found  that  the  following  industries 
could  be  extended  at  the  institution  to  supply  the  various  civil  divisions  with  products 
of  services  to  the  advantage  of  the  inmates,  the  institution,  and  the  several  departments 
concerned : 

1.  Crushed  stone  to  the  Bureau  of  Streets  and  the  Bureau  of  Engineer- 
ing of  the  Department  of  Public  Works,  and  to  the  several  park  boards. 

2.  Building  and  common  brick  to  be  used  in  the  construction  and  repair 
work  of  the  Bureau  of  Sewers  and  the  Bureau  of  Engineering  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Works,  Fire  Department,  Department  of  Police,  Special  Park 
Commission,  Board  of  Education,  Health  Department,  and  the  Department  of 
Electricity. 

3.  Printing   for  the  various  city  departments  and   county  institutions. 

4.  Laundry  work  of  the  Board  of  Education,  Public  Library,  park 
boards.  Special  Park  Commission,  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  and  Cook 
County  institutions. 

5.  Wearing  apparel  for  all  inmates  at  the  institution  and  for  Cook 
County  institutions. 

6.  Bakery  products  to  the  ^lunicipal  Lodging  House,  Board  of  Edu- 
cation for  penny  lunches,  and  to  the  Parental  School. 

7.  Incineration  of  garbage  and  refuse  delivered  from  adjoining  wards. 
This  will  necessitate  construction  of  the  proposed  incineration  plant  near 
the  House  of  Correction. 

8.  Furnishing  of  concrete  posts,  fountain  basins,  and  like  concrete  prod- 
ucts for  the  park  boards,  Special  Park  Commission,  Board  of  Education 
and  Department  of   Public  Works. 

New  industries  should  be  established  at  the  House  of  Correction  as  soon  as  feasible 
to  supply  the   following  commodities  and  services  for  city  use : 

1.  The  making  of  push  brooms  and  all  other  kinds  of  brooms,  street 
dirt  boxes,  paper  burners,  "Street  Closed"  signs,  shovels  and  boulevard 
scrapers  for  the  Bureau  of  Streets  of  the  Department  of  Public  Works,  and 
the  performing  of  maintenance  work,  such  as  painting  and  miscellaneous  re- 
pairs on  equipment  for  this  bureau  and  other  city  departments. 

2.  Book  binding  work  for  the  Public  Library  and  other  city  and  county 
departments. 

3.  Assignment  of  prisoners  for  work  at  the  garbage  reduction  plant 
and  at  the  proposed  incinerating  plant  near  the  House  of  Correction  grounds. 

4.  Assignment  of  prisoners  for  work  at  the  proposed  repair  shop  and 
yards  of  the  Department  of  Public  Works  adjoining  the  House  of  Correc- 
tion. 

5.  Assignment  of  convict  labor,  under  proper  conditions  and  restrictions, 
for  the  repair  and  maintenance  of   public  highways. 

6.  Assignment  of  old  and  infirm  inmates  and  alcoholics  and  short  term 
prisoners  to  work  on  a  farm  to  be  operated  for  the  raising  of  products  con- 
sumed at  the  House  of  Correction  and  other  city  departments  and  county  in- 
stitutions. 


Farm   Colony. 

Experience  of  penal  institutions  in  foreign  countries,  the  states  of  Massachusetts, 
Washington,  Virginia,  New  York,  Colorado,  and  the  cities  of  Cleveland,  Kansas  City  and 
Washington  in  this  country,  has  clearly  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  sending  out  prisoners 
to  do  farm  work  and  abandoning,  in  so  far  as  possible,  work  within  the  houses  of  cor- 
rection. Farm  work  has  been  particularly  successful  and  effective  in  the  cases  of  ordinary 
offenders  convicted  of  misdemeanor,  vagrants  and  drunkards  who  are  sent  to  the  House 
of  Correction  for  periods  too  short  for  effective  work  in  industrial  pursuits. 

Mr.  Harris  R.  Cooley,  Director  of  the  Department  of  Public  Welfare,  who  initiated 
the  farm  colony  plan  in  Cleveland,  says  that  the  correction  farm  has  demonstrated  the 
wisdom  of  the  changed  attitude  of  society  in  regard  to  its  unfortunate  members,  and  adds: 

The  old  methods  often  made  the  institution  of  detention  breeding-places 
for  disease  and  schools  for  crime.  Recent  research  has  brought  to  light  the 
fact  that  there  is  three  times  as  much  tuberculosis  among  our  prisoners  as 
among  the  general  population.  *  *  *  Our  experiences  with  the  correction 
farm  have  demonstrated  that  the  treatment  is  much  better  for  the  prisoners. 
The  outdoor  life  is  just  as  rational  and  effective  in  cases  of  vice  and  crime  as 
in  cases  of  tuberculosis  and  insanity.  These  people  have  lived  in  abnormal 
environment  and  have  developed  abnormal  mental  and  physical  conditions  and 
desires.  The  reasonable  and  first  thing  to  do  is  to  place  them  in  a  normal  en- 
vironment of  the  country  life.  It  may  not  always  cure  but  is  surely  the  first 
thing  to  do  for  them.  The  land  furnishes  unlimited  opportunity  for  useful 
work.  All  kinds  of  labor  can  be  employed  productively.  There  is  a  health- 
ful, physical,  moral  and  mental  influence  in  work  in  the  fields  under  the  open 
sk)'. 

Mr.  L.  A.  Halbert,  general  superintendent  of  the  Board  of  Public  Welfare,  in  speak- 
ing of  the  Kansas  City  farm,  says: 

1.  The  light  and  ventilation  problem  is  taken  care  of  very  much  more 
effectively  at  the  tarm. 

2.  The  work  gives  sufficient  muscular  exercise,  and  it  is  varied  enough 
to  make  it  interesting. 

3.  No   skill  is   required   for   farm  work. 

4.  Farm  products  can  be  utilized  in  the  direct  support  of  the  prisoners, 
and  a  good  farm  can  produce  nearly  everything  the  prisoners  need  to  eat. 

5.  Although  there  are  no  stockades  or  fences  to  prevent  the  prison- 
ers from  getting  away,  the  percentage  of  escapes  has  been  very  small — about 
3  per  cent. 

Farm  work  is  good,  healthy,  invigorating  and  self-respecting  labor,  and  offers  oppor- 
tunity for  men  if  they  will  learn  the  details  of  an  industry  which  may  be  called  for  and 
useful  to  them  in  after  life,  and  "the  convict  can  do  all  these  things  with  the  minimum  of 
competition  with  free  labor  and  with  no  injury  to  the  farm." 

In  all  cases  these  farm  colonies  have  not  only  had  the  effect  of  building  up  the  phys- 
ically unfit  and  under-nourished  men  and  having  the  prisoners  acquire  the  work  habit, 
but  they  have  shown  net  profits  to  the  institution  after  all  expenses  for  board,  lodging 
and  administration  have  been  deducted. 

The  city  of  Chicago  could  well  afford  to  give  consideration  to  and  civic  organizations 
be  interested  in  the  question  of  the  provision  of  a  farm  to  which  inmates  at  the  House 
of  Correction  could  be  sent  for  work.  This  method  of  reformation  of  unfortunates  has 
been  found  to  be  successful,  remunerative  and  to  the  welfare  of  inmates  and  society. 

PRISON   LABOR  AND  INDUSTRIES. 

.Analysis  of  prison  labor  in  the  House  of  Correction  has  disclosed  that  at  the  time  of 
the  investigation  distribution  was  limited  to  the  contract  system,  the  piece-price  system 
and  the  preferred  city-use  system.  Industries  conducted  under  the  general  heading  "city- 
use  system"  are  divided  into  those  industries  which  are  operated  in  connection  with  the 
general  maintenance  work  of  the  House  of  Correction,  and  those  which  are  operated  for 
the  purpose  of  disposition  of  their  products  to  the  municipality  at  a  profit. 

35 


The  distribution  of  male  population  by  days  in  various  shops  and  activities  for  the 
year  ending  September  30,  1913,  is  shown  in  detail  in  Table  I,  and  distribution  of  women 
inmates  by  days  in  various  activities  of  the  women's  department  is  shown  in  detail  in 
Table  II,  The  number  of  days  chargeable  against  each  industry  was  summarized  from 
daily  labor  reports. 

In  arriving  at  the  value  of  labor  and  comparative  efficiency  of  operation  in  each  of 
the  activities  of  the  institution  analysis  was  made  of  intra-departmental  records  as 
kept  by  prison  labor  under  the  direction  of  the  storekeeper,  but  as  these  records  were  not 
kept  in  sufficient  detail,  accurate  cost  figuring  was  impossible. 

In  order  to  arrive  at  the  cost  cf  materials  chargeable  to  each  industry,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  analyze  both  the  purchase  journal  and  the  materials  disposition  record.  The 
amounts  presented  in  statements  representing  cost  of  materials  which  are  directly 
chargeable  against  each  industry  are  in  error  to  a  certain  extent,  as  they  contain  a  num- 
ber of  items,  such  as  office  supplies  and  services.  As  these  items  would  in  any  case  be 
charged  against  the  industry  as  expense,  no  attempt  was  made  to  segregate  and  place 
them  under  the  expense  items. 

Items  under  repairs  and  replacements  are  charges  made  by  engineers  and  carpenters 
at  the  institution,  but  as  the  labor  element  in  these  charges  was  in  all  cases  figured  on 
records  of  the  institution  at  the  rate  of  25  cents  per  day,  these  items  are  also  in  error  to 
a  certain   extent. 

The  cost  of  electric  power  consumed  was  estimated  at  5  cents  per  kilowatt  hour.  An 
attempt  was  made  to  arrive  at  the  true  cost  of  production  of  electric  energy  but  inasmuch 
as  it  was  impossible  to  determine  even  approximately  the  amount  of  coal  used  in  such 
production,  it  was  decided  that  such  a  calculation  was  useless,  and  that  an  estimate  would 
be  as  dependable  as  any  cost  that  might  be  derived. 

The  items  of  supervision  include  the  salary  of  the  supervisor  directly  in  charge  of 
the  work,  plus  a  portion  of  the  salary  of  guards  who  are  required  to  devote  part  of  their 
time  to  supervision. 

In  making  the  above  analysis  of  receipts  and  disbursements,  gross  differences  were 
disclosed  between  the  values  of  labor  and  commodities  as  disclosed  by  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection figures  and  those  in  the  open  competitive  market.  Under  this  system  accounts 
show  an  earning  value  of  labor  which  is  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  actual  value  of 
inmate  labor;  charges  for  commodities  manufactured  were  either  based  upon  an  as- 
sumed value  of  labor  or  were  placed  slightly  below  the  cost  of  the  commodity  if  it 
were  purchased  outside.  For  the  more  important  of  the  municipally  conducted  indus- 
tries, this  discrepancy  and  loss  to  the  institution  for  the  year  ending  September  30th, 
1913,  amounted  approximately  to  $43,830.22  as  indicated  in  detail  in  the  table  under  the 
caption  "Management  of  Institution." 

These  discrepancies  required  the  setting  up  of  separate  statements  based  on 
actual  value  of  services  and  articles  produced  in  the  various  industries.  Such  state- 
ments have  been  prepared  and  are  presented  in  connection  with  each  industry  contra 
to  the  statements  prepared  on  the  basis  of  the  practice  of  the  House  of  Correction. 
The  differences  in  the  value  of  labor  and  conclusions  drawn  therefrom  have  been  con- 
sidered separately  in  connection  with  discussion  of  each  of  the  industries. 

In  the  case  of  contract  shops,  the  loss  to  the  House  of  Correction  during  the  year 
ending  September  30,  1913,  by  reason  of  allowing  contracts  to  be  made  for  use  of  the 
labor  of  prisoners  at  rates  which  do  not  net  an  amount  equal  to  the  cost  of  mainte- 
nance amounts  approximately  to  $12,486.94  as  indicated  in  detail  in  the  statement  under 
the  caption,  "Management  of  Institution." 

A  summary  statement  of  monthly  receipts  for  the  different  industries  and  activities 
at  the  House  of  Correction  during  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  is  given  in 
Table  III.  Detail  statements  of  receipts  from  contract  shops  and  for  services  ren- 
dered and  from  sales  of  products  to  city  departments  and  outside  parties  are  shown 
in  Tables  IV,  V  and  VI,  respectively. 

Discussion  of  the  several  industries  will  be  taken  up  under  two  captions,  first  "Con- 
tract Shops"  and  second  "Municipally  Conducted  Industries." 

36 


CONTRACT  SHOPS. 

When  the  investigation  was  started  two  shops  were  being  operated  under  contract 
agreement  and  one  shop  under  a  piece  price  arrangement  as  follows: 

The  Chicago  Broom  Company,  located  at  354  North  Clark  St.,  in  which  Mr.  M.  Cahill 
and  the  J.  H.  Roseboom  estate  are  interested. 

The  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company,  located  at  628  West  12th  Street,  of 
which  Messrs.  William  J.  Cooke  and  Samuel  B.  Panama  are  officers. 

The  Inland  Purse  Company  located  at  512-520  South  5th  Avenue,  of  which  Messrs. 
Milton  F.  Goodman  and  H.  Loeb  are  officers. 

During  the  investigation  a  third  contract  agreement  was  entered  into  by  the  Board 
of  Inspectors  with  the  Mutual  Garment  Company,  located  at  1504  North  American  Build- 
ing, of  which  Mr.  A.  N.  Gatzert  is  proprietor.  This  company  has  since  discontinued  its 
operations  at  the  institution. 

Detail  discussion  of  each  contract  shop  follows;  conclusions  and  recommenda- 
tions are  made  in  connection  with  each.  The  investigation  has  clearly  disclosed 
that  contracts  with  the  present  private  parties  for  use  of  prison  labor  at  the  House  of 
Correction  should  be  terminated  as  soon  as  practicable,  as  their  continuance  is  detri- 
mental 

(z)  to  the  prisoners  themselves,  because  they  feel  that  their  labor  is 
being  exploited  for  the  benefit  of  private  persons  whose  only  interest  is 
the  profit  involved; 

(h)  to  the  House  of  Correction  because  it  is  receiving  too  low  a  rate  for 
the  value  of  labor  sold; 

(c)  to  the  interests  of  free  labor,  as  it  is  unsatisfactory  to  place  the 
products  of  prison  labor  in  competition  with  those  of  free  labor. 

Broom   Shop. 

The  Chicago  Broom  Company  is  engaged  in  manufacture  of  ordinary  house  brooms 
and  has  employed  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction  for  twenty-one  years.  Prior  to  1909 
this  company  paid  the  institution  at  the  rate  of  25  cents  per  day  for  each  prisoner  em- 
ployed ;  since  that  time  the  rate  has  been  changed  to  SO  cents  per  day  for  each  of  the  60 
men,  the  average  which  it  requires  to  do  its  work.  This  company  also  pays  $20  a  month 
for  livery  service. 

The  company  enjoys  the  privilege  of  utilizing,  without  cost,  labor  to  unload  broom 
corn,  to  carry  away  all  waste  corn,  and  to  load  finished  product,  amounting  approxi- 
mately to  two-thirds  the  time  of  one  man  throughout  the  year,  or  I97yi  days. 

This  company  is  also  permitted  to  occupy,  free  of  charge,  about  14,000  square  feet  of 
working  space  on  the  second  floor  of  the  old  chair  shop  and  cement  room,  4,600  square 
feet  of  storage  space  in  the  storehouse,  and  is  given  light  and  heat,  and  power  to  operate 
a  35  horse-power  motor,  located  on  the  first  floor  and  used  by  this  company  jointly  with 
the  leather  company.  The  broom  company  has  five  broom-sewing  machines,  one  buzz 
saw  and  three  seed  cleaners,  operated  from  a  shaft  driven  by  this  motor.  A  view  of 
the  interior  of  the  broom  shop  is  shown  in  Exhibit  VII. 

It  is  estimated  that  these  uncompensated  items  and  services  amount  to  approxi- 
mately $2,300  per  year.  This  reduces  the  actual  receipts  of  50  cents  per  day  for  labor  to 
a  little  over  38  cents  per  day  per  man,  or  8  cents  less  than  the  cost  of  maintenance  per 
inmate. 

The  methods  used  by  this  company  in  the  manufacture  of  brooms  are  shown  as  fol- 
lows : 

Broom  corn  is  purchased  in  bales  and  is  stored  in  the  storehouse  at  the  House  of 
Correction  until  used.  The  corn  is  first  dipped  in  a  coloring  solution  which  also  renders 
it  less  brittle;  it  is  then  sorted  into  different  grades  and  lengths.  After  the  sorting  the 
seeds  are  removed  by  seed  cleaners.  The  sorted  corn  is  then  given  to  broom-makers,  who 
attach  the  corn  to  the  broom  handles  and  give  shape  to  the  brooms.  The  brooms  are 
then  passed  to  men  who  operate  the  sewing  machines,  and  by  them  passed  to  the  buzz 
saw  operator,  who  trims  brooms  to  the  proper  length. 

37 


Shop  men  are  divided  into  two  general  classes — sorters  and  broom-makers,  the  latter 
being  further  divided  into  those  who  put  brooms  together  and  those  who  sew  them. 
In  addition,  there  are  a  few  men  who  paint  broom  handles  and  others  who  work  in  the 
shipping  room.     The  average  daily  tasks  set  for  these  were  found  to  be  as  follows: 

Sorters,  each    500  lbs.  ot  corn 

Broom-makers,    each 3  doz.  brooms 

Sewing  machine   operators,   each 200  brooms 

Shipping  clerks  Entire  daily  output 

The  daily  output  of  the  60  inmates  assigned  to  this  work  is  estimated  by  the  super- 
visor in  charge  to  be  900  to  1,000  brooms  per  day.  The  tasks  set  are  not  difficult,  as  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  a  good  many  of  the  men  complete  their  tasks  before  the  day  is 
over  and  are  thus  enabled  to  rest  or  read. 

Sentences  being  served  by  inmates  working  in  tliis  industry  at  the  time  of  the  Invest- 
igation were  found  by  study  to  be  as  follows : 

38  inmates 1  year  or  more 

26  inmates 6  months  to  1  year 

6  inmates 2  months  to  6  months 

Average   sentence   being  served 8  months 

Inquiries  have  been  made  to  ascertain  the  saving  to  the  broom  company  by  reason 
of  the  employment  of  convict  labor.  As  shown  above,  the  average  number  of  brooms 
made  by  the  60  inmates  is  75  dozen  per  day.  The  Chicago  Broom  Company  pays  50  cents 
per  man  per  day,  or  a  total  of  $30.00,  thus  showing  an  average  labor  cost  of  40  cents 
per  dozen  brooms.  From  the  best  imformation  obtainable,  the  cost  of  labor  per  dozen 
brooms  in  the  open  market  was  found  to  be  about  80  cents,  thus  indicating  a  labor  saving 
to  the  broom  company  of  about  40  cents  per  dozen.  For  the  year  ending  September  30, 
1913,  approximately  22,800  dozen  brooms  were  made  by  the  prison  labor  at  the  House  of 
Correction.  On  the  basis  of  the  above  figures,  the  broom  company  profited  by  its  con- 
tract with  the  House  of  Correction  to  an  amount  approximately  $9,120  per  year  on  the 
item   of   labor. 

In  addition  to  this  saving  the  following  statement  has  been  prepared  showing  the 
actual  receipts  of  the  House  of  Correction  from  the  Chicago  Broom  Company  for  labor 
and  livery,  and  of  the  estimated  amounts  which  the  company  would  have  been 
required  to  pay  for  space  outside,  during  the  year  ending  September  30,   1913 : 

Amount  paid  by  Chicago  Broom  Company — 

Labor— 18,145  men  days  at  50  cents $9,072.50 

Livery— 12  months  at  $20  per  month 240.00 

$9,312.50 

Uncompensated  items  and  services  other  than  labor — • 

Rent  (including  light,  heat  and  power)  work- 
room 2nd  floor  of  old  chair  shop,  14,000  sq. 
ft.  at  12  cents   $1,680.00 

Storage  space  in  storehouse,  4,600  sq.  ft.  at  8  cts.      368.00 

$2,048 

Livery,  12  months  at  $20.00  (as  paid  by  Chicago 

Broom   Co.)   240      2,288.00 

Net  value  of  labor  $7,024.50 

Total   men   days   compensated   for 18,145 

Extra    men    days    (uncompensated    for) 197^ 

Total    men     days     for    which     compensation     should     be 

received     18,342'4 

Average   receipts   per   man   per   day    38.2  cents 

Average  cost  of  maintenance  per  day 46.2  cents 

Loss  per  man  per  day    8.0  cents 

Total  loss  to  city  per  year    $1,467.40 

39 


Leather  Shop. 

The  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company  is  engaged  in  manufacturing  tufts 
and  other  small  articles  of  leather,  and  has  employed  convict  labor  at  the  House  of 
Correction  for  a  period  of  eight  years.  Previous  to  1909  this  Company  paid  the  In- 
stitution 25  cents  per  day  for  each  prisoner  employed.  Since  that  time  the  rate  has 
been  changed  to  35  cents  per  day  for  each  of  the  first  75  men  and  25  cents  per 
day  for  labor  in  excess  of  this  number.  The  Company  has  paid  during  the  past  year 
for  an  average  of  99  men  each  day,  and  in  addition  has  been  permitted  to  use 
about  4  men  each  day  without  charge  for  general  vi^ork.  It  has  also  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  utilizing,  without  cost,  other  prisoners  needed  in  loading  and  unloading 
scrap  or  the  manufactured  product.  A  total  of  1696  men-days  was  furnished  free 
to  this  industry  during  the  year  ending  September  30,   1913. 

In  addition  to  the  above  amounts,  the  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company 
pays  $20  per  month  for  livery  service  and  $15  per  month  for  storage  space,  but  no 
charge  is  made  for  light,  heating,  power  or  space  necessary  for  the  shop  and  addi- 
tional storage.  The  space  at  present  utilized  by  this  company  consists  of  approxi- 
mately 7,700  square  feet  for  a  work-room  on  the  first  floor  of  the  old  chair  shop,  8,300 
square  feet  in  the  same  building  for  storage  of  scrap  material  and  an  additional  6,800 
square  feet  in  the  storehouse  for  storage.  Exhibit  VIII  shows  the  interior  of  the  leather 
shop  and  the  manner  in  which  valuable  space  in  the  work-room  is  utilized  for  storage 
of  scrap  material,  amounting  to  approximately  190  tons  in  January,  1914. 

The  company  operates  as  follows:  It  purchases  scrap  leather  in  sacks  for  about 
$11  a  ton  which  it  ships  to  the  House  of  Correction  in  carload  and  wagon-load 
lots.  This  is  sorted  by  men  called  "sorters"  into  pieces  large  enough  for  patches, 
for  the  cutting  out  of  shoe  counters,  large  washers,  tufts,  and  nail  heads. 

After  the  leather  has  been  sorted  into  proper  sizes  it  is  delivered  to  "block  men" 
who  cut  out  the  tufts  and  washers  by  means  of  dies  which  are  made  in  the  shop  by 
the  supervisor  of  the  shop  with  the  assistance  of  some  inmates. 

The  block  men  are  supposed  to  cut  out  from  12  to  25  pounds  of  tufts  or  nail  heads 
a  day,  the  task  set  varying  according  to  the  weight  of  leather.  If  the  men  finish 
their  allotted  tasks  they  may  stop  work,  but  they  are  not  required  to  complete  the 
task.  According  to  a  statement  of  the  supervisor  in  charge,  the  leather  company  offers 
as  a  reward  20  cents  worth  of  tobacco  a  week  to  each  man  who  finishes  his  task 
each  day  during  that  period.  Statements  differ  as  to  the  number  of  men  who  com- 
plete their  tasks  and  thus  earn   their  reward. 

The  leather,  with  that  which  remains  after  the  tufts  and  nail  heads  have  been  cut 
from  it,  is  scrapped,  and  is  sold  for  $11  a  ton  to  dealers  who  prepare  it  for  fertilizer. 
From  this  it  is  seen  that  the  net  cost  of  the  material  from  which  the  tufts  and  nail 
heads  are  cut  is  slightly  over  half  a  cent  a  pound. 

The  equipment  of  the  shop  consists  of  benches,  lathe,  drill  press,  and  emery 
wheel.     Power  is  furnished  by  a  35  horse-power  motor  located  adjacent  to  the  shop. 

The  sentences  served  by  the  inmates  working  at  this  industry  at  the  time  of  the 
investigation,  were   found  to  be  as   follows: 

55    inmates 1  year  or  more 

41    inmates 6  months  to   1   year 

2    inmates 2  months  to  6  months 

Average  length  of  sentence Syi  months 

An  analysis  made  of  the  value  of  the  convict  labor  in  this  industry  showed  that 
an  average  of  49  men  employed  on  this  work  turned  out  a  total  of  478  pounds  of  tufts 
and  nail  heads  which  were  sold  at  an  average  of  10  cents  per  pound,  prices  ranging 
from  8  cents  to  12  cents.  Proportionate  quantities  of  shoe  counters  and  patches, 
valued  at  11  to  12  cents  a  pound,  and  large  washers,  valued  at  85  cents  a  pound,  were 
produced  by  these  men. 

With  the  above  as  a  basis,  and  assuming  a  production  of  SCO  pounds  of  materials 
per  day  at  a  price  of  10  cents  a  pound,  the  average  daily  income  of  the  company 
is  shown  to  be  at  least  $50.    As  the  average  number  of  prisoners  working  in  this  shop 

40 


for  the  304  working  days  during  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  was  103,  the  value  of 
the  labor  was  about  50  cents  per  man  per  day.  Investigation  in  the  field  disclosed  that 
the  rate  of  $2.00  a  day  was  paid  for  this  kind  of  labor  before  the  competition  of  con- 
tract labor  cut  the  price;  the  leather  company  thereby  has  made  a  saving  of  approxi- 
mately $1.50  per  day  per  man  if  the  output  in  the  institution  and  in  the  free  market  are 
the  same.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  average  production  of  the  inmates  working  in 
the  leather  shop  was  found  to  be  only  about  half  that  of  the  labor  in  the  free  shops, 
the  net  labor  saving  to  the  company  is  reduced  to  about  75  cents  per  man  per  day, 
a  total  of  $23,484  for  the  year. 

A  statement  of  the  moneys  received  by  the  House  of  Correction  during  the  year 
ending  September  30,  1913,  for  labor,  rent  and  livery,  and  the  estimated  amounts 
which  the  leather  company  would  have  been  required  to  pay  for  space  outside  the 
House  of  Correction  and  which  it  obtained  without  charge  is  given  below: 

Amount  paid  by  Chicago  Leather  &  Mercantile  Company  for  year 
ending  September  30,  1913: 

Labor,  22,119  men  days  at  35  cents $7,741.65 

7,983  J/  men  days  at  25  cents 1,995.89    $9,737.54 

Livery,  12  months  at  $20   240.00 

Rent    for   storage.    12    months    at   $15 ISO.OO 

$10,157.54 

Uncompensated  items  and  services  other  than  labor: 

Rent   (including  light,   heat  and  power) 

Work-room   space    7,700  sq.  ft. 

Storage    space     8,300  sq.  ft. 

Total  in  old  chair  shop,  16,000  sq.  ft.  at  12  cents $1,920.00 

Space  in  storehouse,  6,800  sq.  ft.  at  8  cents 544.00 

(includes  $180  paid  by  company) 
Livery   (paid  by  company  for  services) 240.00        2,704.00 

Total  net  value  of  labor    $  7,453.54 

Total    men    days    compensated    for 30,102 

Free  days  (4%  of  total  assigned) 1,254 

Extra   days    (uncompensated   for) 442 

Total  men  days   31, /98 

Average  value  per  man  per  day $  -23 

Average   cost  of  maintenance  per   day    .46 

Average  loss  per  inmate  per  day   -23 

Loss  to  the   city  per  year    $7,313.54 

The  following  facts  are  apparent  from  study  of  this  industry: 

1.  As  the  prisoners  are  required  to  stand  in  their  places  and  wield 
a  heavy  mallet  continuously  during  the  entire  day,  labor  in  the  leather 
shop  is  difficult  and  monotonous,  and  not  conducive  to  the  health  or  wel- 
fare of  the  inmates  of  the  institution. 

2.  The  great  piles  of  scrap  leather  take  up  much  space  which  could 
be  used  for  municipal  industrial  purposes;  they  also  afford  good  hiding 
places  for  the  prisoners. 

3.  The  House  of  Correction  is  penalizing  itself  by  assigning  to  this 
and  other  contract  shops  those  prisoners  who  have  the  longest  terms  to 
serve  and  whose  labor  should  be  most  valuable  for  municipal  industrial 
purposes. 

4.  The  city  loses  in  maintaining  the  prisoners  assigned  to  this  in- 
dustry and  in  the  value  of  the  space,  heat  and  power  furnished  to  it  ap- 
proximately $7,300  a  year,  while  the  company  makes  a  net  profit  of  ap- 
proximately $23,500  a  year  over  the  difference  in  cost  of  labor  m  the  com- 
petitive  market  and  in  the  institution. 

42 


Purse  Shop. 

The  Inland  Purse  Company  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  inexpensive  purses 
and  bill-rolls,  and  has  employed  labor  at  the  House  of  Correction  since  January  1, 
1913.  This  company  pays  the  institution  for  this  labor  on  the  basis  of  the  number 
of  purses  of  diflferent  classes  turned   out  as  follows: 

Class  "A" 50      cents  per  gross 

Class  "B" 62y2  cents  per  gross 

Class  "C" 75      cents  per  gross 

Class  "D" S7y2  cents  per  gross 

During  the  past  year  the  company  has  employed  and  paid  for  the  services 
of  an  average  of  50  inmates  per  day.  The  company  has  been  permitted  to  use, 
free  of  charge,  approximately  2,000  square  feet  for  workroom  purposes,  1,000  square 
feet  for  storage  purposes  on  the  second  floor  above  the  receiving  room,  and  650  square 

feet  for  storage  purposes   in   the   storehouse.     No  charge   has  been   made   for  light   or 


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11 — 1 

EXHIBIT  IX. 

Interior  view  of  purse   shop.  House  of  Correction,  showing  inmates  at  work 
on  machines  and  cutting  leather. 


heat,  or  for  power  which  operates  the  one-half  horse  power  motor  driving  sewing  and 
leather-shaving  machines.  The  rental  value  of  space  now  occupied  by  the  company 
free  of  charge  has  been  estimated  at  $300,  which  amount,  when  deducted  from  the 
total  payments  of  $1,642.53  of  the  company  to  the  House  of  Correction  from  Jan- 
uary to  September  30th,  1913,  reduces  the  actual  value  of  labor  assigned  to  this  work 
to  approximately  12  cents  per  man  per  day,  or  34  cents  below  the  cost  of  maintaining 
each  inmate  per  day. 

The  methods  and  operations  in  this  industry  are  as  follows:  Leather  and  other 
materials  are  bought  by  the  company  in  the  piece.  The  purses  are  produced  in  lots, 
a  work  ticket  accompanying  their  progress  through  the  shop.  The  labor  is  highly 
specialized,  the  first  men  cutting  out  pieces  of  the  proper  size  by  means  of  dies  and 

43 


passing  these  pieces  to  succeeding  operators  wlio  do  the  pasting,  sewing  and  clamp- 
ing. Finished  purses  are  thus  produced  in  a  relatively  short  time.  The  arrangement 
of  the  shop  is  shown  in  Exhibit  IX. 

The  sentences  being  served  by  prisoners  working  at  this  industry  at  the  time  of 
the    investigation    were: 

2)7   men 1  year  or  more 

14  men 6  months   to    1   year 

2   men 2  months  to  6  months 

Average  term  of  prisoners 7  months 

Comparison  was  attempted  of  the  value  of  prison  labor  employed  in  this  work 
with  labor  in  the  competitive  market,  as  well  as  analysis  of  profits  accruing  to  the 
company  from  employment  of  prison  labor,  but  as  commodities  manufactured  by  this 
company  are  of  such  a  special  character  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  basis  for  comparison. 


EXHIBIT  X. 

Interior  view  of  garment  shop.  House  of  Correction,  showing  lay-out  of 
machines  and  inmates  at  work. 


However,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  contracts  of  this  company  with  the  House  of 
Correction  are  advantageous  and  net  the  company  considerable  profit.  As  shown 
above,  labor  is  paid  for  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of  purses  turned  out,  and  not  on 
the  basis  of  the  number  of  men-days  employed;  therefore  the  company  suffers  little 
loss  during  the  training  of  new  men. 

.^  statement  of  moneys  received  by  the  House  of  Correction  for  this  labor  from 
January  1  to  September  30,  1913,  and  the  estimated  amounts  which  the  company 
would  have  been  required  to  pay  for  space  outside  the  House  of  Correction,  is  given 
below: 


Amount  paid  by  Inland  Purse  Company   $1,642.53 

Uncompensated   items — 

Rent   (including  light,   heat  and   power — 9  months) 

Workroom   space    2,000  sq.  ft. 

Storage    space    1,000  sq.  ft. 

Total    (on    2nd   floor    receiving    room    at 

9    cents)     3,000  sq.  ft.     $270.00 

Storage  space  650  sq.  ft.  in  storehouse  at  6  cents $  39.00        $309.00 

Net  value  of  labor    $1,333.53 

Total  men-days  compensated  for   10,900 

.\verage  value  per  man  per  day 12.2  cents 

Average  cost  of  maintenance  per  day   46.2  cents 

Loss  per  man  per  day   34.0  cents 

Loss   to  the   city   (9   months)    $3,706.00 

Garment  Shop. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1913  the  Mutual  Garment  Company  made  an  arrangement 
with  the  Board  of  Inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  to  employ  at  first  approxi- 
mately IS  men  per  day  and  ultimately  about  40  men,  in  the  manufacture  of  aprons, 
waists  and  other  cheap  wearing  apparel.  This  arrangement  provided  that  prison  labor 
should  be  paid  for  at  the  rate  of  35  cents  per  day,  and  that  there  should  be  no  charge 
for  space  required  by  sewing  machines,  button-hole  machines,  or  for  light,  heat  or 
power. 

Since  this  investigation  was  begun,  final  arrangement  has  been  made  by  the  Board 
of  Inspectors  that  this  company  discontinue  its  work  at  the  institution.  No  work  is 
now  being  carried  on  by  this  company  at  the  House  of  Correction,  and  it  is  under- 
stood that  the  machines  and  other  equipment  will  be  removed  at  an  early  date.  Ex- 
hibit  X  gives  an  interior  view  of  this  shop  when  in  operation. 

MUNICIPALLY   CONDUCTED   INDUSTRIES. 

As  stated  above  the  municipally  conducted  industries  may  be  divided  into  two 
classes,  viz.,  those  operated  essentially  for  maintenance  of  the  institution  and  those 
operated  for  the  purpose  of  selling  articles  at  a  profit  to  the  municipality  or  other 
civil  divisions.  Tables  I,  II,  III  and  V  show  what  these  industries  and  activities  are 
and  indicate  distribution  of  inmates  among  them. 

A  detailed  description  of  each  of  the  more   important  of  these  activities   follows: 

Printing   Industry. 

The  printing  shop  is  the  most  profitable  industry  of  the  institution,  having  pro- 
duced, in  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  approximately  $17,000  worth  of  work, 
of  which  $16,000  worth  was  for  city  departments,  and  the  balance  for  the  institution 
and  for  private  organizations.  The  profit  realized  on  this  work  per  man  per  day  was 
51  cents  over  and  above  the  cost  of  maintenance  of  each  man.  This  good  showing 
is  a  result  of  good  supervision,  lack  of  overcrowding,  modern  methods,  and  ability 
to  secure   reasonable  prices   for  work  done. 

The  supervisor  of  printing  has  an  average  of  25  inmates  in  his  shop,  of  which 
number  about  four  are  trained  printers,  the  others  being  inexperienced  in  printing 
work.  The  sentences  being  served  by  prisoners  working  in  this  industry  at  the  time 
of  the  investigation  were  as  follows: 

11  inmates 1  year  or  more 

4  inmates 6  months  to  1  year 

6  inmates 2  months  to  6  months 

4  inmates 2  months  or  less 

Average  length  of  term 7  months 

45 


The  equipment  of  the  shop  consists  of  three  10xl5-in.  Gordon  presses,  one  33x46-in. 
cylinder  press,  one  cutting  machine,  a  ruling  machine,  a  stitcher,  and  a  small  bind- 
ing machine.  Setting  of  type  is  done  by  hand,  which  makes  it  impossible  for  the 
shop  to  turn  out  large  work,  such  as  annual  reports  for  city  departments. 

Following  is  a  table  giving  the  revenues  and  expenditures  of  the  printing  industry 
for  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913.  As  the  prices  charged  for  this  service  are 
about  equal  to  the  lowest  market  prices,  the  figures  taken  from  the  institution  records 
are  satisfactory,  and  no  comparison  with  market  values  is  necessary: 

Actual   Receipts — 
Printing: 

Sales  to  City  ^ $16,119.59 

Sales  to  House  of  Correction   905.91 

Miscellaneous    75.50    $17,101.00 

Disbursements — 

Materials    $  8.563.71 

Power    (estimated)     300.00 

Repairs  and  replacements   193.91 

Delivery    (estimated)     312.00 

Supervision     1,320.00    $10,689.62 

Net  labor  value  to  institution   $  6,411.38 

Average  number  of  men  employed   22 

Total  men-days   6,596 

Average  value  labor  per  man  per  day $0,972 

Average   cost   of  maintenance    0.462 

Profit  per  inmate  per  day   0.51 

As  about  twenty-five  inmates  were  engaged  in  this  industry,  6,596  men  days  were 
required  to  earn  this  $6,411.38,  giving  an  average  earning  value  of  97.2  cents  per  in- 
mate per  day.  Extension  of  this  industry  will  not  only  aid  a  larger  number  of  men 
in  learning  a  trade,  but  will  go  far  towards  placing  the  House  of  Correction  on  a 
paying  basis  and  allow  part  of  the  profits  earned  by  prisoners  to  be  distributed  to 
families  of  those  who  are  dependent  upon  them,  or  to  be  given  to  the  inmates  upon 
their  release. 

With  extension  of  this  industry  and  installation  of  such  equipment  as  a  book- 
binding machine,  a  cylinder  press,  and  a  monotype  machine,  it  will  be  possible  for  the 
institution  to  do  much  more  of  the  city  printing,  including  large  work,  such  as  depart- 
mental reports.  With  union  labor  heartily  in  favor  of  expansion  of  industries  con- 
ducted for  benefit  of  the  municipality,  the  service  of  the  printing  shop  should  thence- 
forth be  limited  only  by  its  capacity. 

Crushed  Stone  Industry. 

During  the  recent  investigation  of  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Streets,  attention  of 
the  Department  of  Public  Works  and  of  representatives  of  the  House  of  Correction 
was  called  to  the  fact  that  the  Bureau  of  Streets  alone  could  use  with  advantage  twice 
as  much  crushed  stone  from  the  House  of  Correction  quarry,  providing  it  could  be 
obtained  when  street  repair  work  was  being  prosecuted.  Conferences  were  held  with 
the  Board  of  Inspectors  and  the  Superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction  and  also 
with  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Works,  and  all  were  agreed  that  increased  output  of 
crushed  stone  could  be  made  with  but  small  outlay  of  capital,  with  greater  remunera- 
tive results  to  the  institution,  and  with  benefit  to  inmates  and  to  the  city  departments. 
The  following  letter  was  addressed  on  November  7,  1913,  to  the  Board  of  Inspectors: 


November  7,  1913. 
Board  of  Inspectors,  House  of  Correction: 

Gentlemen: — By  direction  of  the  Technical  Board  (Streets),  I  am 
writing  you  regarding  the  question  of  delivery  of  crushed  stone  purchased 
by  the  city  of  Chicago  from  your   institution. 

It  has  been  suggested  at  various  meetings  of  this  Board  that  delivery 
of  stone  on  city  work  could  be  expedited  and  economies  effected  if  the 
House  of  Correction  could  maintain  and  operate  two  or  more  motor 
trucks  for  this  purpose.  Inasmuch  as  the  appropriation  period  is  coming 
on,  I  would  respectfully  suggest  that  the  Technical  Board  (Streets)  be 
given  an  opportunity  to  discuss  with  you  the  question  of  crushed  stone 
purchases  and  delivery. 

This  board  consists  of  Walter  Leininger,  Superintendent  of  Streets; 
W.  J.  Galligan,  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Streets;  W.  J.  Fitzpatrick, 
Superintendent  of  Garbage  Removal,  representing  the  Bureau  of  Streets; 
James  Miles,  Examiner  in  Charge;  J.  L.  Jacobs,  Efficiency  Engineer  in 
Charge;  F.  H.  Ceniield,  Efficiency  Engineer;  representing  the  efficiency  di- 
vision. 

There  are  certain  other  matters  of  interest  to  the  Bureau  of  Streets, 
and  we  hope  to  your  board,  that  we  would  like  to  discuss  with  you  when- 
ever practicable.  Very   truly  yours, 

(Signed)     JAMES   MILES, 
Chairman,  Technical  Board   (Streets). 

As  a  result  of  the  above  conferences  and  this  communication,  appropriation 
has  been  included  in  the  1914  ordinance  providing  for  some  of  the  necessary  equip- 
ment which  will  make  it  possible  for  the  institution  to  increase  its  crushed  stone  out- 
put and  supply  needs  of  the  Bureaus  of  Streets  and  Engineering. 

The  present  equipment  at  the  crusher  plant  consists  of  two  125  horse-power  boil- 
ers and  one  120  horse-power  Corliss  engine,  which  operate  both  the  stone  crushers  and 
the  brick  machine.  Drilling  is  done  by  hand,  three  men  being  assigned  to  each  drill. 
The  crushed  stone  is  loaded  into  hand  cars  which  are  raised  to  the  crusher  by  an 
elevator  operated  by  a  25  horse-power  motor.  There  are  two  large  crushers  and  one 
small  crusher,  the  latter  being  designed  to  crush  larger  stone  coming  from  the  larger 
crushers.  The  capacity  of  this  latter  crusher  is  small,  and  when  operated  in  con- 
nection with  the  larger  crushers  retards  operation. 

After  the  stone  is  crushed  it  is  elevated  to  the  screen  separating  the  stone  into 
five  difTerent  sizes  and  diverting  it  into  the  storage  bins.  Pumps  draining  the  quarry 
of  spring  water,  which  is  continually  flowing  in,  are  operated  by  steam  from  the 
boilers,  but  do  not  operate  efficiently,  as  condensation  of  steam  in  the  long  run  of 
pipes  from  the  power  house  limits  pumping  capacity. 

According  to  the  arrangement  under  which  the  quarry  has  been  operating,  city 
departments  pay  the  House  of  Correction  50  cents  per  cubic  yard  for  crushed  stone 
f.  o.  b.  quarry.  Prices  to  outside  concerns  vary  somewhat,  depending  upon  cost  of 
transportation.  Operation  of  the  stone  industry  is  also  considerably  hindered  by  poor 
transportation  facilities,  as  it  has  switch  facilities  only  with  the  Illinois  Northern 
Railroad,  a  minor  property,  which  is  obliged  to  depend  for  cars  upon  other  railroads 
with  which  it  connects.  Therefore  it  seems  that  the  above  price  is  as  much  as  can 
be  obtained. 

.Analysis  of  actual  receipts  and  expenditures  in  this  industry  for  the  year  ending 
September  30,  1913,  shows  that  the  average  labor  value  per  inmate  per  day  is  only 
4.27  cents,  the  lowest  amount  earned  by  male  inmates  at  the  institution.  Considering 
cost  of  maintenance,  the  net  loss  through  operation  of  this  industry  is  appro.ximately 
42  cents  per  inmate  per  day. 

Actual  receipts  of  the  crushed  stone  industry  do  not  indicate  full  credit  which 
should  be  given.  During  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  this  industry  produced 
35,122  cubic  yards  of  crushed  stone  which,  valued  at  50  cents  per  cubic  yard,  shows 
total  earnings  of  this  industry  to  be  $17,561.  Based  on  this,  actual  labor  value  per 
inmate  per  day  is  raised  to  8  cents  and  loss  per  inmate  per  day  reduced  to  38  cents. 
Detail  figures  of  receipts  and  expenditures,  both  as  taken  from  the  records  of  the  in- 
stitution and  as  estimated  for  the  above  period  are  given  in  the  following  statement: 

47 


RECEIPTS. 

Figures  Obtained 

from  the  House  Figures  Based  on 

of  Correction  Market  Value 

Actual  Estimated 

Sales   to  city    $11,915.85 

Private   Parties    2,680.96 

House    of    Correction 375.51     $14,972.32 

Total,  35,122  cu.  yds.,  produced  at  50  cents.  $17,561.00 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Materials    $2,326.84  $2,326.84 

Coal     3,665.19     $  5,992.03  3.665.19 

Repairs   and    replacements 1,232.39  1,232.39 

Superintendence — 

Supervisor   of  quarry ■. . .  1,800.00 

Stone  crusher  operator 1,080.00 

Stationary  engineer  (^  time)      900.00 

Pump  operator    1,080.00        4,860.00       12,084.42 


4,860.00 

12,084.42 

$  5,476.58 

223 
67,729 

$0.08 
0.462 
0.382 

Labor  value    $  2,887.90 

Average  men  employed  per  day 223 

Total    men    days    67,729 

Average  value  of  labor  per  men  per  day $0.0427 

Average   cost   of   maintenance    0.462 

Loss  per  man  per  day   0.4193 

The  reasons  and  conditions  directly  responsible  for  the  poor  showing  are  three- 
fold: 

1.  Overcrowding. 

2.  Lack  of  sufficient  equipment. 

3.  Insufficient  and  inefficient  supervision  and  planning. 

The  quarry  has  been  used  as  a  dumping  ground  for  all  excess  men  of  the  insti- 
tution, as  is  illustrated  by  Exhibit  XL 

During  the  investigation  more  than  350  men  were  working  in  or  about  the  quarry 
daily;  under  these  conditions  men  are  in  each  other's  way  and  supervision  becomes 
difficult.  This  overcrowding  is  especially  noticeable  in  winter  months,  when  the  brick 
yard,  garden  and  other  outdoor  industries  are  discontinued. 

It  was  also  found  that  the  stone  quarry  was  charged  with  more  men  than  were 
actually  employed  in  connection  therewith.  During  January  and  February,  1914,  a 
large  number  of  men  assigned  to  the  quarry  are  used  in  ice  harvesting.  The  num- 
ber of  men  days  chargeable  against  the  quarry,  therefore,  is  in  excess  of  the  actual 
number  of  men  working,  thus  making  average  labor  value  per  day  less  than  it  should 
be. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  elevator  has  been  working  at  its  full  capacity,  and  that 
the  output  of  the  quarry  was  limited  by  the  capacity  of  the  elevator.  Inspection  of 
conditions  under  which  the  elevator  is  operated,  however,  indicates  that  it  is  work- 
ing at  not  more  than  50  per  cent  capacity,  as  cars  are  not  fully  loaded  and  there  is 
much  delay  at  both  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  lift. 

By  re-arrangement  of  tracks  at  both  upper  and  lower  levels,  so  that  a  loaded 
car  and  an  empty  car  could  be  wheeled  on  to  the  elevator  just  as  the  empty  car  and 

48 


the  loaded  car  are  removed,  the  capacity  would  be  doubled  at  least.  Cars  could  be 
loaded  a  little  fuller.  It  is  also  believed  that  it  would  be  practicable  to  apply  more 
power  to  the  hoist,  and  thus  reduce  the  time  of  elevating. 

To  handle  increased  output  of  the  quarry  the  present  method  of  operating  the 
crushers  must  be  improved  or  a  new  crusher  must  be  installed  to  produce  a  stone  of 
commercial  size.  In  addition,  a  new  screen  should  be  installed,  and  the  capacity  of 
storage   bins   increased. 


V.X. 


Ill 


H. 


'"^^ 


^>* 


k^A 


r  .:^^>; 


*^1 


^2^ 


EXHIBIT  XI. 
View  of  the  House  of  Correction  quarry,  showing  crowding  and  congestion. 


The  supervisor  in  charge  of  the  quarry  has  under  him  two  guards  who  are  sta- 
tioned in  the  pit  for  the  dual  purpose  of  guarding  prisoners  and  keeping  them  at 
work.  The  guards  in  turn  have  appointed  a  number  of  straw  bosses  among  the  pris- 
oners, on  whom  they  depend  in  a  large  measure  for  results.  If  the  quarry  is  to  be 
operated  efficiently  it  will  be  necessary  that  the  men  be  better  supervised  and  co-op- 
eration between  the  various  subdivisions  of  the  quarry's  organization  improved. 

49 


From  the  facts  as  stated  and  observations  made  on  the  operation  of  the  quarry, 
the  following  conclusions  have  been  drawn: 

1.  That  the  stone  quarry  has  great  possibilities  of  development. 

2.  That  development  has  been  hindered  because  of  the  following  con- 
ditions: 

(a)  The  quarry  has  been  made  the  dumping  ground  for  all  excess 
men  in  the  institution. 

(b)  Efficient  operation  has  been  hindered  by  reason  of  the  un- 
satisfactory arrangement  of  power  house,  steam  lines,  and  track  lay- 
out. 

(c)  The  amount  and  efficiency  of  supervision  has  been  inad- 
equate. 

(d)  The  House  of  Correction  has  not  been  able  to  make  advan- 
tageous  transportation   arrangements. 

3.  That  the  capacity  of  the  present  hoist  can  be  doubled  at  least 
by  a  simple  re-arrangement  of  track  lay-out  at  both  upper  and  lower 
levels. 

4.  That  by  installation  of  additional  screening,  and  storage  facilities 
and  improved  operation  of  crushers,  the  capacity  of  the  quarry  can  be 
increased    greatly. 

5.  That  further  study  should  be  given  to  installation  of  additional 
quarry  machinery  with  a  view  to  increasing  production. 

A  market  is  assured  for  the  total  output  of  the  quarry  as  the  Bureau  of  Streets 
uses  annually  100,000  cubic  yards  of  stone,  and  the  Bureau  of  Engineering  and  other 
city  departments  stand  ready  to  use  as  much  of  this  product  as  the  institution  can 
produce.  As  the  total  output  of  the  quarry  during  the  period  under  consideration  was 
only  35,122  cubic  yards  it  is  apparent  that  any  increase  in  output  will  find  a  ready 
market  in   the   city  departments. 

Shoe  and  Tailor  Industry. 

The  shoe  and  tailor,  shop  manufactures  shoes  for  all  inmates,  clothing  for  male 
inmates,  bedding,  and  miscellaneous  articles  for  kitchen  and  bakery.  All  repair  work 
on  shoes  and  clothing  and  the  repairing  and  pressing  of  street  clothes  owned  by 
inmates  is  also  done  here.  The  supervisor  in  charge  of  this  shop  is  a  practical 
tailor.  A  guard  assigned  to  assist  him  is  a  practical  shoemaker  and  instructs  the  in- 
mates in  shoemaking.  The  equipment  in  these  shops  consists  of  foot-power  sewing 
machines  of  various   types   required  for  the   work. 

The  average  number  of  inmates  employed  in  this  shop  during  the  past  year  was 
108,  and  the  average  term  of  sentences  was  about  nine  months,  being  distributed  as 
follows: 

60    inmates 1  year  or  more 

33    inmates 6  months  to  1  year 

30    inmates 2  months  to  6  months 

Under  the  present  arrangement  a  crude  but  careful  record  is  kept  of  all  materials 
received  and  used  in  the  manufacture  of  clothing  and  shoes,  and  standard  costs  for 
all  articles  manufactured  have  been  computed.  Labor  on  new  and  repair  work  was 
found  to  be  figured  at  the  rate  of  SO  cents  per  day,  but  credit  of  only  25  cents  per 
man-day  was  allowed  on  the  intra-department  records  during  the  period  in  ques- 
tion. This  difference  in  the  amount  used  in  computing  standards  and  of  credit  given, 
was  due  to  a  misunderstanding  which,  it  is  understood,  will  be  rectified  under  revised 
cost  standards. 

Analysis  of  expenditures  in  the  shoe  and  tailor  shops  and  the  amounts  credited, 
as  given  in  the  institution  records,  indicates  that  for  the  year  ending  September  30, 
1913,  the  institution  credited  itself  with  a  revenue  of  $25,456.61  and  a  total  expendi- 
ture of  $11,219.76.  leaving  a  balance  of  $14,236.85.  This  shows  the  value  of  labor 
to  be  about  42  cents  per  day  for  108  inmates  who  were  engaged  in  this  industry. 
A  similar  analysis  has  been  made  of  work  in  this  industry  using  the  open  market 
values  of  the  products  and  services,  and  the  comparative  figures  are  shown  in  detail 
in  the  following: 

SO 


New    Products — 
Shoes: 

Men's    leather    

Men's  canvas   

Men's   miscellaneous    .. 

Boys'     leather 

Boys'    baseball     

Women's   canvas    

Clothing: 

Men's   coats    

Men's    pants     

Miscellaneous    clothing 

Boys'   coats    

Boys'   pants    

Boys'   miscellaneous 

Miscellaneous  Articles 


RECEIPTS. 

Figures  obtained 

from  House  of 

Correction 

Actual 


Total     $  9,740.84 

Repairing   and    Pressing — 

Receiving   room    $14,820.97 


John   Worthy   School. 
Barn    (harness)     . 

Comptroller    

Men's  hospital  . . 
Women's  hospital 
Main  kitchen    .... 

Cell    houses    

Miscellaneous     .  .  . 


681.13 
92.55 
20.60 
21.80 
3.42 
17.30 
11.22 
46.78 


Figures  based  i 
market  value 

Estimated 


$  1,748.25 
880.00 

89.75 
295.50 

17.00 
160.00 

$  1,289.56 

1,558.25 

5,031.71 

52.00 

186.00 

257.92 

1,080.51 


15,715.77    $25,456.61 


$12,646,45 

$22,231.45 

1,021.70 

138.82 

30.90 

32.70 

5.13 

25.95 

16.83 

70.17 

$36,220.10 

Materials     

Repairs   and   replacements    

Supervision — 

Supervisor   (%    time) 

Guard  as  assistant  super- 
visor   ('/}   time) 


DISBURSEMENTS. 

$  9,717.67 
242.09 

$  920.00 

340.00    1,260.00  $11,219.70 


Labor    value    

Average  men   employed   per   day 

Total    men-days    

Average  value  of  labor  per  man  per  day. 
Average   cost  of  maintenance 


108 
33,027 


$14,236.85 


1.431 
.462 


$  9.717.67 
242.09 


1.260.( 


108 
33,027 


$11,219.76 
$25,000.34 


1.757 
.462 


Profit   or   loss  per   man   per   day Loss  $0,031  Profit  $0.29= 

The  quality  of  products  in  this  shop  is  better  than  can  be  purchased  in  the  open 
market  at  a  price  equal  to  the  cost  of  production,  including  labor  figured  at  the 
price  of  average  cost  of  maintenance.  The  use  of  prison  labor  in  these  industries 
was  found  to  be  generally  beneficial  to  both  inmates  and  the  institution. 

Studies  should  be  made  of  the  efficiency  of  prison  labor  in  tliis  shop  as  com- 
pared with  free  labor,  and  new  standards  of  production,  should  be  computed  so  that 
the  amounts  of  credit  given  for  finished  product  may  bear  a  favorable  relation  to 
market  values.  In  addition  the  system  of  shop  records  should  be  thoroughly  revised 
on  the  basis  of  the  best  practice  obtaining  in   private  shops. 

Brick  Industry. 

From  the  point  of  receipts  the  brick  industry  is  the  largest  now  conducted  at 
the  institution.  Records  for  the  year  ending  September  30.  1913.  show  a  production 
of  5,809,000  sewer  and  common  brick,  and  receipts  of  approximately  $25,000. 

SI 


The  institution  charges  the  city  and  private  contractors  at  the  rate  of  $4.00 
per  thousand  (f.  o.  b.  brick  yard)  for  common  brick  and  $4.25  per  thousand  (f.  o.  b. 
brick  yard)  for  sewer  brick.  The  delivery  charge  within  a  radius  of  four  miles  is 
$2.75  per  thousand,  which  increases  the  cost  to  $6.75  per  thousand  for  common  brick 
and  $7.00  per  thousand  for  sewer  brick.  The  present  market  price  for  the  same 
brick  is  $7.00  per  thousand  for  common  brick  and  $8.00  per  thousand  for  sewer  brick. 

The  following  analysis  of  records  of  receipts  and  expenditures  in  the  brick  in- 
dustry for  the  year  ending  September  30,  1913,  indicates  a  net  labor  value  of  about 
30  cents  per  day  per  inmate.  With  the  increase  of  price  to  that  charged  on  the  out- 
side, the  average  value  of  labor  would  be  raised  to  at  least  35^  cents  per  day  per 
inmate. 

RECEIPTS. 


Figures  obtained 

from  House  of 

Correction 


Actual 


Sales  to: 

City $11,438.00 

Private    parties     13,154.75 

House   of   Corn    (estimated)        118.00    $24,710.75 

Brick  Manufactured.    5,809,000 
at  $4.75  per   M 

DISBURSEMENTS. 

Material   $  3,026.19 


Coal     •  ■  •  • 

Repairs   and    replacements 

Supervision — • 

Supervisor     $1,800.00 

Brick   machine    operator 1,200.00 

Stationary  Engineer  (.14  time)      300.00 
Asst.    Supervisor     760.50 


1,076.20 
321.07 


4,060.50        8,483.96 


Figures  based  on 
market  value 

Estimated 


$3,026.19 

1,076.20 

321.07 

1.800.00 

1,200.00 

300.00 

760.50 


$27,692.75 


$16,226.79 


8,483.96 
$19,208.79 


Labor  value    

Average  number  of  men  employed 178  1/8 

Total  men  days    54,079  54,079 

.Average  value  of  labor  per  man  per  day $0.30  $0,335 

Average  cost  of  maintenance ■.'.$0,462  $0,462 

Loss  per   man  per   day $0,162  $0,107 

A  number  of  city  departments  are  doing  considerable  construction  and  repair 
work  for  which  they  require  large  quantities  of  brick.  Such  brick  should  be  bought 
from  the  institution  as  far  as  practicable,  and  at  a  rate  which  would  have  to  be  paid 
in  the  open  market. 


Laundry  (Men's  and  Women's). 

The  laundry  activities  of  the  House  of  Correction  have  been  expanded  to  take 
care  of  laundry  service  of  several  city  departments  in  addition  to  that  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

The  men's  laundry  does  all  washing  for  male  inmates  and  in  addition  assists  the 
women's  laundry  in  washing  towels  for  all  departments  at  the  City  Hall,  as  well  as 
part  of  the  laundry  for  police  stations.  The  women's  laundry  cares  for  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  laundry  work  for  police  stations,  all  laundry  for  the  Department  of 
Health,  Municipal  Lodging  House,  City  Hall,  "Parting  of  the  Ways"  home  and  for 
the  matron's  and  superintendent's  residences. 

Equipment  of  the  men's  laundry  consists  of  two  washing  machines,  two  wringers,. 
a  steam  dryer,  and  five  electric  irons.  The  washing  machines  and  one  of  the  wring- 
ers are  operated  by  a  20-horse  power  electric  motor,  and  the  other  wringer  is  ope- 
rated by  a  2-horse  power  direct  connected  steam  engine. 

52 


Equipment  in  the  women's  laundry  consists  of  wash  tubs,  twenty-two  electric 
flat  irons,  an  electric  wringer,  and  an  electric  mangle,  the  latter  two  operated  by  a 
2-horse  power  motor. 

Analysis  of  records  of  receipts  and  expenditures  for  service  in  the  laundries  indi- 
cates that  prices  charged  the  city  departments  by  the  House  of  Correction  are  unrea- 
sonably low,  and  for  this  reason  receipts  are  not  sufficient  to  cover  the  maintenance 
cost  of  inmates. 

The  following  table  shows  prices  now  charged  and  commercial  prices  in  large 
quantities  for  doing  such  laundry  work: 


Articles. 


J- 


B 


^    O- 


C   C    3 


^  ^  d 

Rough  dry  wash  for  inmates 7c  per  doz.     10c  per  doz.     20c  per  doz. 

Miscellaneous    pieces    washed    and 

ironed  for  inmates    15c  per  doz.     20c  per  doz.     60c  per  doz. 

Washing  and   ironing  towels 40c  per  100      20c  per  100     $1.00  per  100 

(washing  only)   (ironing  only) 
Washing   and   ironing   for   hospital, 

superintendent's    residence    and  \ 

reserve  officers   40c  per  doz.     90c  to  $1.20  per  doz. 

Washing  and  ironing  for  Police  and 

Health  Departments-^ 

(a)  Sheets    3c  each     3c  each 

(b)  Pillow  slips  IJ^c  each     2c  each 

(c)  Bed  spreads  and  blankets 40c  per  100     l()c  each     5c  to  25c  each 

(washing  only) 

Comparison  of  the  above  figures  also  shows  that  prices  charged  by  the  men's 
laundry  are  much  lower  than  those  charged  by  the  women's  laundry.  For  example, 
the  men's  laundry  does  washing  for  the  Department  of  Police  at  a  rate  of  40  cents 
per  hundred  pieces,  while  the  women's  laundry  charges  10  cents  a  piece  for  the  wash- 
ing and  ironing  of  this  class  of  work.  Laundry  work  done  by  women  inmates  for 
the  "Parting  of  the  Ways"  home  and  the  Municipal  Lodging  House  is  gratuitous. 
Laundry  service  given  to  the  Municipal  Lodging  House  should  be  paid  for  as  required 
of  other  city  departments. 

The  following  comparison  of  prices  charged  by  the  institution  and  in  the  open 
market  for  this  class  of  service  has  been  made  to  show  the  differences  between  the 
total  actual  and  the  estimated  receipts,  and  the  differences  in  the  net  value  of  labor: 

Men's  Laundry. 

RECEIPTS. 

Figures  obtained 
from  House  of  Figures  based  on 

Correction  market  value 

Service^  Actual  Estimated 

House    of    Correction $5,918.36 

City    departments    619.66    $6,538.02 

House    of    Correction    rough    dry.    731.252 

pieces  at  20c  per  dozen $12,187.40 

Washed   and   ironed    178,949  pieces   at   5c 

each    8,947.45 

City- 
City  Hall   (towels  washed)   139,900  at  60c 

per  100  839.40 

Police  Department  (blankets  washed)  13,- 

035  at  Sc  each 651.75 

Health  Department  (towels  washed)  2,984 

at  60c  per  100 17.90 

$22,463.90 

S3 


UlSBURSEMENTS. 

Materials    $1,541.94  $1,541.94 

Electric    Power    (Estimated) 780.00  780.00 

Repairs  and   Replacements 277.99  277.99 

Supervision — 

Supervisor      Siioe      and      Tailor 

Shop   (Vs  time)    $    460.00  460.00 

Guard   as    Assistant   Supervisor.    1,080.00       1,540.00    $4,139.93       1,080.00    $  4,139.93 


Labor    Value     $2,398.09  $18,323.97 

Average   men   employed   per   day 27  27 

Total   men    days    8.332  _  8,332 

Average  value  of  labor  per  man  per  day $0,287  $2.20 

Average    cost    of    maintenance $0,462  $0,462 


Profit  or  loss  per  man  per  day Loss  $0,175  Profit  $1,738 

Women's  Laundry. 

RECEIPTS. 

Figures  obtained 

from  House  of  Figures  based  on 

Correction  market  value 

Services —  Actual  Estimated 

Police  Department  $3,426.38 

Health    Department    3,759.57 

City  Hall  '.      181.93 

House   of   Correction    2,770.58     $10,138.46 


Sheets,  62,083  at  3c  each $  1,862.49 

Pillow  slips,  18,914  at  2c  each 379.28    r 

Towels   (ironing  only)  372,112  at  40c  per 

100   1,488.45 

Spreads  and  Blankets,  15,404  at  5c  each..  770.20 

Coats  and  Pants,  5,006  at  7y,c  each 325.45 

Rough   Dry,  46,361   at  20c  per  dozen....  772.60 

Miscellaneous,  141,671  at  10c  each 14,167.10    $19,765.57 


DISBURSEMENTS. 

Materials   $    489.00  $    489.00 

Power  (estimated)   1,219.92  1,219.92 

Repairs  and  Replacements    285.00  285.00 

Delivery    (estimated)    499.20  499.20 

Supervision,  2  matrons   at  $780 1,560.00  $4,053.12       1,560.00     $4,053.12 

Labor    Value     $6,085.34  $15,712.45 

Average  women  employed  per  day 60  60 

Total   women   days    18,389  18,389 

Average  value   of  labor  per  woman   per   day $0.33  $0,855 

Average   cost   of   maintenance $0,462  $0,462 


Profit  or  loss  per  woman  per  day Loss  $0,132  Profit  $0,393 

The  principal  reason  for  differences   in  value  of  labor  in   the   men's   and  women's 

laundries,  shown  above,  is  that  the  efficiency  of  men  prisoners  is  greater  than  that  of 

women  prisoners  and  the  amount  of  work  turned  out  by  the  men's  laundry  is  greater 

than  that  turned  out  by  the  women's  laundry. 

During  the  year  ending   December  31,   1913,   the   men's  laundry  accomplished   the 

following  work  at  the  prices  indicated: 

Quantity        Articles   Washed   and    Ironed  Charge         Amount 

731,252  Pieces  washed 7c  per  doz.     $4,265.59 

178,949  Pieces  washed  and  ironed 15c  per  doz.       2,236.80 

139,900  Towels  washed  for  City  Hall 40c  per  100  559.60 

13,035  Pieces  washed  for  Police  Dept 40c  per  100  52.00 

2,984  Towels  washed  for  Health  Dept 40c  per  100  12.00 


1,066,120  Pieces    $7,125.99 

S4 


The  investigation  in  these  two  industries  has  disclosed: 

(a)  That  operation  of  the  laundry  industry  has  been  comparatively 
efficient,  and  is  necessary  for  economical  administration  of  the  House  of 
Correction,  as  the  large  amount  of  washing  necessary  in  an  institution  of 
this  kind  is  done  better  and  more  cheaply  than  in  an  outside  laundry; 

(b)  That  the  work  is  clean  and  is  not  detrimental  to  the  welfare  of 
inmates  engaged   therein; 

(c)  That  prices  charged  for  service  performed  by  both  laundries  are 
lower  than  justifiable. 

In  addition  to  laundry  work  now  sent  in  to  the  House  of  Correction  by  the  De- 
partments of  Police,  Health  and  Public  Works,  that  of  three  other  city  departments 
which  alone  spend  approximately  $13,000  each  year  for  this  class  of  work,  viz.,  the 
Board  of  Education,  $12,765,  Chicago  Public  Library,  $374.55,  and  the  Special  Park 
Commission  (estimated)  $125,  could  well  be  handled.  There  is  also  a  large  amount  of 
laundry  work  required  by  various  park  boards  and  Cook  County  institutions  which 
could  be  done  to  the  advantage  of  both  the  House  of  Correction  and  the  other  insti- 
tutions if  it  were  taken  care  of  by  the  inmates. 

Arrangements  should  be  made  whereby  these  city  departments  and  civil  divisions 
send  as  much  of  their  laundry  work  as  practicable  to  the  institution.  Prices  charged 
for  work  done  for  city  departments  and  other  civil  divisions,  and  credit  given  for  work 
done  for  the  House  of  Correction,  should  be  raised  to  equal  the  amount  which  would 
be  charged  by  outside  laundries. 

Women's  Sewing   Room. 

An  average  of  30  women  inmates  per  day  are  engaged  in  making  clothing  for 
women  inmates,  towels,  sheets,  and  pillow  slips  for  the  entire  institution,  and  repair- 
ing women's  clothing  and  darning  men's  socks. 

The  following  figures  indicate  actual  receipts  and  expenditures  in  this  industry  for 
the  year  ending  .September  30,  1913,  and  the  estimated  amounts,  if  standards  and  values 
used  in  the  open  market  had  been  applied. 

RECEIPTS. 

Figures  obtained 
from  House  of  Figures  based  on 

Correction  market  value 

Actual  Estimated 

New  Work   $1,893.72  $3,029.94 

Repair    Work     469.31     $2,363.03  750.90     $3,780.84 

mSUURSEMENTS. 

Material    $1,450.44  $1,450.44 

Supervision    780.00    $2,230.44         780.00    $2,2,30.44 

Labor    value     $    132.59  $1,550,40 

Average   women   employed   per   day 30  30 

Total   women   days    9,158  9,158 

Average  value  of  labor  per  woman  per  day $0,014  $0.17 

Average   cost   of   maintenance $0,462  $0,462 

Loss   per  woman   per   day $0,448  $0,292 

Note;  Market  value  is  estimated  to  be  60  per  cent  greater  than  House 
of  Correction   figures. 

It  is  undoubtedly  to  the  advantage  of  the  institution  to  operate  the  sewing  room, 
but  standards  of  production  sliould  be  revised,  so  that  proper  credit  may  be  given  for 
commodities  produced. 

SS 


MISCELLANEOUS  INDUSTRIES. 

Aside  from  the  above  industries  there  are  a  number  of  miscellaneous  industries 
which  the  institution  carries  on  for  upkeep  of  its  own  and  other  city  departments. 

Kitchens. 

One  main  kitchen  supplies  food  to  the  main  institution,  to  the  women's  depart- 
ment, and  to  the  John  Worthy  School  for  Boys.  Subsidiary  kitchens  supply  food  for 
the  hospital  and  a  few  employes,  and  also  for  residences  of  the  matron  and  the  super- 
intendent. 

Equipment  in  the  main  kitchen  consists  of  steam-heated  iron  kettles  and  a  potato 
steamer.  The  steamer  is  antiquated,  is  unsuited  for  present  needs,  and  should  be  re- 
placed at  once  by  larger  and  more  modern  equipment.  Exhibit  XII  shows  old  wooden 
half-barrels  which  are  in  use  at  the  present  time  for  food,  as  it  is  being  dished  out 


EXHIBIT  XII. 

Interior  view  of  kitchen,  House  of  Correction,  showing  wooden  half  barrels 
used  as  receptacle  for  food  and  tin  ration  cans. 


of  cookers  before  distribution  to  ration  pans.  These  barrels  should  be  replaced  by 
galvanized  iron  or  tin  tubs  similar  to  some  now  in  use.  An  additional  set  of  ration 
pans  should  be  provided  so  that  the  menu  could  be  improved  occasionally  by  addition 
of  rice,  oatmeal,  and  other  cereals;  food  should  be  served  in  a  warmer  condition  than 
at  present. 

Bakery, 

The  bakery  supplies  all  bread  and  rolls  consumed  in  the  institution.  These  are 
cleanly  made  and  wholesome.  Three  modern  bake  ovens  form  the  equipment.  De- 
tailed cost  records  are  kept  of  the  amount  of  materials  used,  which  cost  about  V/z 
cents  per  loaf  and  a  little  over  yi  cent  per  roll.  A  better  grade  of  bread  called  ''hos- 
pital bread"  costs  slightly  over  2  cents  per  loaf. 

56 


■  r-  V*j ,  ... 

•Labor,  supervision,  heat  and  overhead  charges  should  be  considered  in  arriving  at 
the  cost  of  manufacture.  Under  terms  of  a  recent  agreement  the  bakery  is  to  supply 
bread  for  the  Municipal  Lodging  House.  A  charge  of  3  cents  per  pound  loaf,  includ- 
ing delivery,  is  to  be  made. 

Crematory. 

The  present  crematory  is  built  underground.  Until  very  recently  it  was  used  only 
for  cremation  of  part  of  the  garbage  and  refuse  of  the  institution.  During  the  past 
few  months  pure  garbage  from  the  three  adjoining  wards  has  been  delivered  to  this 
crematory  and  incinerated.  The  total  daily  delivery  from  these  wards  amounts  to  ap- 
proximately 25  tons,  and  it  has  required  about  3  tons  of  coal  per  day  to  incinerate  this 
amount,  at  an  average  cost  of  24  cents  per  ton,  which  is  exclusive  of  the  value  of  labor 
and  overhead  charges. 

The  institution  has  charged  the  Bureau  of  Streets  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Works  at  a  rate  of  44  cents  per  ton.  This  figure  is  comparatively  low  when  it  is  con- 
sidered the  present  crematory  was  not  originally  erected  to  take  care  of  this  amount 
of  garbage. 

Possibilities  for  the  use  of  convict  labor  for  the  incineration  or  reduction  of  gar- 
bage and  refuse  are  great,  and  arrangements  should  be  made  whereby  the  House  of 
Correction  will  furnish  labor  for  operation  and  maintenance  at  the  proposed  garbage 
disposal  plant  which  is  to  be  erected  near  the  House  of  Correction. 

Cement  Shop. 

Inmates  in  the  cement  shop  at  present  manufacture  concrete  articles,  such  as  vases 
and  posts,  and  supply  same  for  the  Special  Park  Commission.  This  work  can  be  car- 
ried on  advantageously  at  the  institution,  and  every  effort  should  be  made  to  have  as 
much  as  possible  done  for  the  Park  Boards,  the  Board  of  Education,  and  the  Bureau 
of  Engineering,  and  other  bureaus  of  city  departments. 

Machine  and  Tin  Shop. 

Until  recently  men  in  this  shop  were  engaged  solely  on  repair  work  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  ration  pans  and  other  articles  of  tin  for  the  institution.  Street  dirt 
boxes  and  "Street  Closed"  signs  are  now  being  made  in  the  shop  for  the  Bureau  of 
Streets.  The  institution  proposes  to  charge  the  city  $2.30  per  box,  as  the  material  costs 
about  $1.58  per  box  and  labor  is  figured  at  50  cents  per  man-day.  Use  of  a  metal 
folding  machine  will  increase  the  capacity  of  the  shop  with  a  corresponding  decrease 
in  cost  of  manufacture. 

Carpenter  and  Paint  Shop.' 

Until  recently  the  carpenter  and  paint  shop  was  engaged  only  in  repair  work  and 
painting  and  in  the  manufacture  of  mattresses,  scrubbing  brushes,  and  miscellaneous 
articles  for  the  institution.  Of  late  painting  of  street  dirt  boxes  and  "street  closed" 
signs,  manufactured  in  the  tin  shop,  has  been  undertaken.  Present  equipment  is  most 
primitive;  the  wood  lathe  is  operated  by  hand  power  and  the  backs  for  scrubbing 
brushes  are  shaped  and  the  holes  bored  by  hand.  These  are  shown  in  Exhibits  XIII 
and  XIV. 

Garden  and  Greenhouse. 

In  summer  a  considerable  quantity  of  vegetables  is  grown  in  the  garden.  There 
is  a  small  pig-sty  in  connection  with  this  garden  in  which  a  few  pigs  are  fattened  each 
year  on  garbage  from  the  kitchen. 

The  greenhouse  is  maintained  solely  for  the  institution.  When  there  is  an  abun- 
dance of  flowers  an  attempt  is  made  to  sell  them  to  dealers.  The  price  offered  has  in 
some  cases  been  so  low  that  the  flowers  have  not  been  sold,  and  have  been  used  in 
decorating  the  chapels  and  as  gifts. 

Stable. 

Fourteen  horses  are  kept  in  the  stable,  two  of  which  are  boarded,  one  for  the 
leather  shop  and  one  for  the  broom  shop,  a  charge  of  $20  per  month  being  made  for 
this  service  in  each  case. 

57 


EXHIBIT  XIII. 

Interior  view  of  carpenter  shop.  House  of  Correction,  showing  method  of 

doing:  lathe  work  by  hand  power  machinery. 


P:.\HIBIT  XIV. 

Interior  view  of  carpenter  shop,  House  of  Correction,  showing  method  of 

making  brush  backs  by  hand  labor. 


SUMMARY  OF  FINDINGS  AND  CONCLUSIONS. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  findings  and  conclusions  included  in  this 
report: 

(1)  That  under  the  dual  authority  conferred  by  the  statutes  on  the  board  of  inspectors 
and  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction,  the  responsibility  for  operation  and 
management  of  the  various  activities  at  the  institution  has  not  been  and  cannot  be  definite- 
ly fixed,  that  the  present  condition  is  inefifective  and  expensive,  and  has  been  the  cause 
of  the  lack  of  defined  and  concerted  plan  of  action  toward  a  complete  re-organization  along 
logical  and  scientific  lines. 

(2)  That  the  contract  system  of  employing  prison  labor  is  prejudicial  to  moral,  mental 
and  industrial  development  and  welfare  of  prisoners  and  those  dependent  upon  them,  and 
is  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  the  institution  and  of  free  labor. 

(3)  That  the  municipal  use  system  for  the  employment  of  convict  labor  is  for  the  best 
interests  of  prisoners  and  the  institution,  and  that  there  are  a  large  number  of  industries  in 
which  the  inmates  could  be  made  to  work  for  the  benefit  of  the  city  departments  and 
various  other  civil  divisions,  including  the  park  boards.  Cook  County,  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, Public  Library  and  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago. 

(4)  That  credit  is  due  the  present  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Correction  for  his 
earnestness  and  efficiency  in  the  general  control  and  direction  of  penal  work  at  the  insti- 
tution. 

(5)  That  the  practice  of  making  contracts  with  private  contractors  for  the  use  of  con- 
vict labor  through  verbal  agreement  between  the  board  of  inspectors  and  contractors  is 
subject  to  criticism  as,  in  the  opinion  of  the  corporation  counsel,  "neither  the  board  of 
inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  nor  the  City  Council  of  the  city  of  Chicago  has 
power  or  authority  lo  make  such  a  contract  as  is  contemplated  for  the  output  of  prison 
labor." 

(6)  That  there  has  been  general  lack  of  business-like  management  in  the  operation  and 
control  of  prison  industries,  and  that  opportunities  for  decreasing  the  cost  of  maintenance 
of  inmates  at  the  institution  by  increasing  revenues  from  the  sale  of  products  and  services 
to  the  city  and  other  civil  divisions  and  the  boarding  of  prisoners,  have  been  neglected, 
these  conditions  being  due  to  the  following : 

(a)  Unscientific  assignment  of  employes,  insufficient  supervision  and  lack  of 
esprit  de  corps  in  the  organization. 

(b)  Questions  of  the  most  adaptable  and  desirable  industries  and  necessary 
equipment  do  not  seem  to  have  been  given  the  consideration  which  they  de- 
serve, and  industries  have  been  either  overcrowded  or  have  not  been  suffi- 
ciently developed. 

(c)  Each  industry  has  been  conducted  as  an  independent  unit  and  without  ref- 
erence to  the  other  industries. 

(d)  Assignment  of  inmates  to  the  various  industries  is  done  in  a  hurried,  hap- 
hazard manner:  apparently  little  thought  is  given  to  the  best  interests  of 
inmates  or  institution. 

(c)   No  concerted  effort  seems  to  have  been  made  in  requiring  daily  check  of  the 

work  and  industry  of  regular  employes  or  of  inmates, 
(f)   Lack   of   modernized   and   accurate   systems   of   accounting   and   cost-keeping 

and  a  system   for   definitely  ascertaining  the   efficiency   of   individuals   or  of 

service. 

(7)  That  no  permanent  records  or  minutes  are  kept  of  the  meetings  of  the  board  of 
inspectors  and  of  their  actions;  they  have  not  required  that  such  minutes  be  written  up  and 
presented  for  their  approval  and  signature,  and  the  superintendent  of  the  House  of  Cor- 
rection has  drawn  up  annual  or  other  reports  from  personal  notes  kept  by  him. 

(8)  That  the  work  of  the  present  assistant  superintendent  and  principal  clerk  is  not 
satisfactory  and  is  ineffective. 

(9)  That  the  cost  of  maintaining  inmates  is  appro.ximately  46  cents  per  day,  and  the 
average  earning  value  of  inmate  labor  in  the  industries  conducted  during  the  year  end- 
ing September  30,  1913,  is  shown  by  the  House  of  Correction  records  to  be  as  follows: 

59 


CONTRACT    SHOPS. 

Total  Total      Average  Value 

Industry                                                                                       Valve  of  Men  Days       of  Labor 

Labor  for  Year  Per  Day 

Chicago    Broom    Co $7,024.50  18,342  $0,382 

Chicago    Leather    &    Mercantile    Co 7,453.54  31,798  0.23 

Inland    Purse    Co '.     1,333.53  10,900  0.122 

MUNICIPALLY    CONDUCTED    INDUSTRIES. 

Printing    shop    6,411.38  6,596  0.972 

Shoe   and   tailor   shop 14,236.85  33,027  0.431 

Women's   laundry    6,085.34  18,389  0.33 

Brick   industry    16,226.79  54,079  0.30 

Men's    laundrv    2,398.09  8,332  0.287 

Crushed  stone   2,887.90  67,729  0.0427 

■     Women's    sewing    room    132.59  9,158  0.014 

(10)  That  the  annual  net  cost  of  operation  of  the  House  of  Correction  for  the  years 
1906  to  1913  inclusive,  has  varied  from  $92,750.53  to  $163,760.91 ;  that  the  net  estimated 
difference  between  the  value  in  the  open  market  and  the  amounts  charged  against  the  city 
departments  for  more  important  supplies  and  services  amounted  to  about  $43,830  for  the 
year  ending  September  30,  1913 ;  that  the  House  of  Correction  suffered  a  further  loss  dur- 
ing the  same  period  by  reason  of  letting  out  labor  under  contract  without  charging  for 
space,  light,  heat  and  power,  amounting  to  $12,468.94,  and  that  private  contractors  made  a 
profit  on  labor  derived  from  the  difference  in  the  charge  made  by  the  House  of  Correction 
for  labor  and  the  value  of  such  labor  in  the  free  competitive  market,  estimated  at  $32,604. 

(11)  That  bills  contracted  by  Cook  County  for  the  boarding  of  its  prisoners  from 
1906  to  December,  1912,  totaling  $268,412,  remain  unpaid  and  that  the  rate  charged  Cook 
County  and  other  civil  divisions  for  the  boarding  of  prisoners  is  less  than  the  average  cost 
of  maintenance. 

(12)  That  the  confining  of  boys  in  the  John  Worthy  School  behind  bars  has  an  exceed- 
ingly bad  effect  upon  their  attitude  and  seriously  hampers  the  mental  and  moral  develop- 
ment which  is  to  be  desired  in  a  school  of  this  kind.  The  fact  that  there  is  no  segregation 
of  boys  who  are  merely  obstreperous,  and  who  need  only  a  little  training  to  make  them 
good  citizens,  from  the  other  boys  who  show  criminal  tendencies,  frequently  results  in 
contamination  of  the  younger  boys. 

(13)  That  the  percentage  of  efficiency,  as  indicated  by  the  value  of  labor,  varies  great- 
ly in  the  different  industries ;  that  prisoners  do  better  and  more  work  in  those  occupations 
and  industries  in  which  commodities  are  manufactured  either  for  use  of  the  institution  or 
for  the  municipality  than  when  their  services  are  sold  to  private  contractors,  and  that  the 
average  efficiency  of  prison  labor  is  less  than  free  labor  and  varies  from  SSyi  per  cent  to 
66%  per  c.ent  of  the  efficiency  of  labor  in  the  free  market. 

(14)  That  farm  work  is  good,  healthy,  invigorating  and  self-respecting  labor,  and 
offers  opportunity  for  men  if  they  will  learn  the  details  of  an  industry  which  may  be  called 
for  and  useful  to  them  in  after  life,  and  that  "the  convict  can  do  all  these  things  with  the 
minimum  of  competition  with  free  labor  and  with  no  injury  to  the  farm." 

(15)  That  sanitary  arrangements  in  the  institution  are  generally  good,  but  there  is 
insufficient  room  in  the  hospital  and  the  lay-out  is  bad. 

SUMMARY  OF  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  recommendations  included  in  this  report: 
(1)  That  action  be  taken  so  that  bills  be  presented  to  the  next  legislature  pro- 
viding for  an  amendment  to  the  statutes  abolishing  the  offices  of  the  board  of  inspect- 
ors and  placing  the  responsibility  for  the  management  and  the  direction  of  the  House 
of  Correction  definitely  on  one  official.  This  official  should  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor 
with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  City  Council,  and  should  have  complete  power  to 
direct  and  manage  all  the  activities  of  the  institution,  and  should  appoint  all  neces- 
sary assistants  according  to  their  merits  and  qualifications. 

60 


(2)  That  the  policy  of  the  House  of  Correction  be  complete  abolition  of  the  sys- 
tem of  contract  labor,  and  that  inmates  who  are  not  engaged  in  general  maintenance 
work  for  the  institution  be  assigned  to  industries  for  production  of  supplies  and  com- 
modities or  be  assigned  on  outside  work,  at  agriculture,  or  other  services  for  the 
use  of  the  institution,  the  city  and  other  civil  divisions. 

(3)  That  the  contract  with  the  Chicago  Leather  and  Mercantile  Company  be  ter- 
minated on  the  date  signified  in  the  letter  of  January  29,  with  the  other  contract  in- 
dustries, and  that  inmates  now  assigned  to  this  work  be  put  on  work  of  manufactur- 
ing supplies  and  giving  their  services  to  the  city  departments  and  other  civil  divisions 
hereinafter  cited. 

(4)  That  an  order  be  issued  to  the  various  department  heads  of  the  city  to  use 
every  means  possible  for  utilization  of  prison  labor  and  the  products  manufactured  at 
the  House  of  Correction  in  operation  of  their  manifold  activities,  and  that  every  eflfort 
be  directed  to  influence  the  proper  authorities  of  Cook  County,  the  park  boards,  the 
Board  of  Education,  the  Public  Library,  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  and  other 
civil  divisions  to  utilize  such  convict  labor  and  products  as  they  may  need  which 
could  be  manufactured  advantageously  at  the  institution. 

(5)  That  the  following  industries  be  extended  at  the  institution  to  supply  prod- 
ucts or  services  to  the  municipal  use  market,  as  indicated: 

(a)  Crushed  stone  to  the  Bureau  of  Streets  and  the  Bureau  of  Engineering 
and  to  the  several  park  boards. 

(b)  Building  and  common  brick  to  be  used  in  construction  and  repair  work 
of  the  Bureau  of  Sewers  and  the  Bureau  of  Engineering,  Fire  Depart- 
ment, Department  of  Police,  Special  Park  Commission,  Board  of  Edu- 
cation, Health  Department  and  the  Department  of  Electricity. 

(c)  Printing  for  the  various  city  departments  and  county  institutions. 

(d)  Laundry  work  of  the  Board  of  Education,  Public  Library,  park  boards. 
Special  Park  Commission,  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  and  Cook  County 
institutions. 

(e)  Wearing  apparel  for  all  inmates  at  the  institution  and  for  Cook  County 
institutions. 

(f)  Bakery  products  to  the  Municipal  Lodging  House,  Board  of  Education 
for  penny  lunches,  and  to  the  Parental  School. 

(g)  Incineration  of  garbage  and  refuse  delivered  from  adjoining  wards.  This 
will  necessitate  construction  of  the  proposed  incineration  plant  near  the 
House  of  Correction. 

(h)  Furnishing  of  concrete  posts,  fountain  basins,  and  like  concrete  products 
for  park  boards,  the  Special  Park  Commission,  Board  of  Education  and 
Department  of  Public  Works. 

(6)  That  new  industries  be  established  at  the  House  of  Correction  as  soon  as 
feasible  to  supply  the  following  commodities  and  services  for  city  use: 

(a)  The  making  of  push  brooms  and  all  other  kinds  of  brooms,  street  dirt 
bo.xes,  paper  burners,  "Street  Closed"  signs,  shovels  and  boulevard 
scrapers  for  the  Bureau  of  Streets  and  the  performing  of  maintenance 
work,  such  as  painting  and  miscellaneous  repairs  on  equipment  for  this 
bureau  and  other  departments  of  the  city. 

(b)  Book  binding  work  for  the  Public  Library  and  other  city  and  county 
departments. 

(c)  Assignment  of  prisoners  for  work  at  the  garbage  reduction  plant  and  at 
the  proposed  incinerating  plant  near  the  House  of  Correction  grounds. 

(d)  Assignment  of  prisoners  for  work  at  the  proposed  repair  shop  and  yards 
of  the  Department  of  Public  Works  adjoining  the  House  of  Correction. 

(e)  Assignment  of  convict  labor  under  proper  conditions  and  restrictions 
for  repair  and  maintenance  of  public  highways. 

(f)  Assignment  of  old  and  infirm  inmates,  alcoholics  and  short  term  prison- 
ers to  work  on  a  farm  to  be  operated  for  raising  of  products  consumed 
at  the  House  of  Correction  and  at  other  city  departments  and  county  in- 
stitutions. 

61 


(7)  That  consideration  be  given  to  adoption  of  a  plan  whereby  longer-term  pris- 
oners be  compensated  for  their  labor,  and  that  a  portion  of  the  money  earned  by  the 
convict  during  his  term  of  imprisonment  either  be  held  and  paid  to  him  upon  his  re- 
lease, or  that  it  be  given  to  his  family  as  a  means  of  support  during  his  incarcera- 
tion. 

(8)  That  the  city  give  consideration  to,  and  that  efforts  be  made  to  interest  civic 
organizations  in  the  question  of  providing  a  farm  to  which  inmates  at  the  House  of 
Correction  could  be  sent  for  work.  This  method  of  reformation  of  unfortunates  has 
been  found  to  lie  successful,  remunerative  and  to  the  welfare  of  inmates  and   society. 

(9)  That  extension  of  the  practice  of  providing  lectures  and  night-school  instruc- 
tion work,  especially  in  trades,  after  inmates  have  completed  their  day's  work,  be 
given  careful  consideration  and  that  civic  organizations  and  committees  be  interested 
to  co-operate  by  providing  books,  lectures  and  aid  in  this  betterment  work. 

(10)  That  there  should  be  directly  under  the  superintendent,  two  chief  assist- 
ants, one  of  them,  the  medical  superintendent,  directly  charged  with  all  activities 
having  to  do  with  health  and  physical  well-being  of  prisoners;  the  other,  a  superin- 
tendent of  industries  or  business  manager,  directly  charged  with  all  activities  which 
have  to  do  with  the  industrial  development  of  prisoners  and  general  management  of 
the  institution.  General  questions  of  mental  and  moral  betterment  of  prisoners  should 
be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  superintendent. 

(11)  That  the  positions  of  assistant  superintendent  and  principal  clerk  be  abol- 
ished, and  that  the  position  of  superintendent  of  industries  or  business  manager  be 
created  in  place  thereof  at  a  salary  of  at  least  $3,000.  (Amendment  to  the  statutes 
will  be  necessary  in  case  of  abolition  of  the  office  of  deputy  superintendent.) 

(12)  That  the  question  of  changing  standards  and  prices  so  that  they  conform 
more  nearly  to  those  used  in  the  open  market  should  be  given  immediate  considera- 
tion, and  city  departments  or  other  civil  divisions  obtaining  such  services  and  com- 
modities be  hereafter  required  to  pay  amounts  more  nearly  approaching  those  pre- 
vailing in  the  free  competitive  market. 

(13)  That  before  any  further  payments  are  made  to  the  House  of  Correction  by 
Cook  County,  the  park  boards,  the  federal  government  and  the  towns  or  villages,  the 
matter  of  charge  for  boarding  prisoners  should  be  given  careful  consideration,  and  an 
eflfort  should  be  made  to  secure  for  this  service  a  sum  no  less  than  the  cost  to  the  in- 
stitution of  maintaining  inmates,  and  that  further  efifort  be  made  to  secure  an  early 
adjustment  of  claims  of  the  city  for  amounts  due  from  Cook  County  for  boarding 
prisoners. 

(14)  That  complete  minutes  of  actions  of  oflicials  of  the  House  of  Correction 
be  regularly  kept  and  be  inade  a  part  of  the  permanent  record  for  use  as  a  basis  for 
fixing  responsibility  and  presenting  all  necessary  facts  in  quarterly  reports  to  the  city 
comptroller,  and  annual   reports   to  the  city  council   and   to  the  governor. 

flS)  That  a  modernized  and  complete  system  of  accounting  be  installed  at  the 
institution  which  should  be  made  to  show  definitely  the  cost  of  operation  of  each 
industry  during  stated  periods,  cost  and  consumption  of  a  given  group  of  inmates, 
and  revenues  as  distinguished  from  receipts  of  the  entire  organization,  and  that  these 
accounts  be  maintained  in  such  a  manner  as  to  furnish  the  superintendent  of  the 
■  House  of  Correction  with  definite  information  as  to  amounts  expended  for 

(a)  Maintenance  of  the  institution  and  the  various  divisions  thereof. 

(b)  Operating  of  industries  and  of  each  separate  industry. 

(c)  Capital  outlay. 

(16)  That  daily  service  reports  be  made  by  all  regular  employes;  that  they  be 
checked  by  officials  directly  in  charge  and  be  made  the  basis  for  ascertaining  and  re- 
cording individual   efficiency. 

62 


(17)  That  efficiency  markings  of  all  employes  be  kept  on  individual  history  cards, 
which  should  be  open  at  all  times  for  the  inspection  of  employes.  The  average  monthly 
efficiency  markings  should  be  kept  in  a  permanent  record  in  the  superintendent's  office 
and  in  the  office  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission. 

(18)  That  in  determining  efficiency  of  employes  three  factors  be  used,  viz.,  qual- 
ity, quantity  and  conduct  in  work  performed,  with  demerits  for  violations  of  rules 
and  regulations  and  non-attendance,  and  for  tardiness. 

(19)  That  a  complete  set  of  instructions,  rules  and  regulations  be  prepared  and 
distributed  to  employes  as  soon  as  possible,  for  the  guidance  in  carrying  on  different 
activities. 

(20)  That  a  modern  telephone  system  be  installed  at  the  institution  to  take  the 
place  of  the  present  antiquated  system  and  that  operation  of  the  switch-board  be 
added  to  the  duties  of  the  junior  stenographer. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

(Signed)     J.  L.  JACOBS, 

Efficiency   Engineer  in  Charge. 
APPROVED: 

(Signed)     JAMES  MILES, 

Examiner  in  Charge.  Efficiency  Division. 


EXHIBIT  II. 

OPINION   OF  CORPORATION   COUNSEL,   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 

March  18,  1914, 
IN  RE  CONTRACT  FOR  PRISON  LABOR  AT  THE  HOUSE  OF  CORRECTION. 
HON.  A.  A.  BURGER,  SECRETARY  OF  THE  BOARD 
OF  INSPECTORS  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF 
CORRECTION. 

Dear  Sir :  In  your  communication  of  recent  date  addressed  to  the  corporation  counsel, 
you  asked  for  an  opinion  on  two  questions:  First,  whether  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the 
House  of  Correction  has  authority  ,to  let  a  five-year  contract  or  agreement  for  letting  out 
labor  at  your  institution  without  the  formality  of  presenting  or  passing  same  through  the 
City  Council.  The  second  question  was  whether  the  board  can  recommend  such  a 
matter  to  the  City  Comptroller,  and  whether  the  latter  has  the  power  to  instruct  the 
board  to  let  such  contract  or  agreement. 

The  two  questions  are  so  nearly  allied  to  each  other  that  we  can  answer  both  without 
dividing  them. 

It  seems  that  the  board  of  inspectors  has  not  the  authority  to  enter  into  a  contract  of 
this  character  without  action  on  the  part  of  the  City  Council,  and  it  is  almost  as  certain 
that  the  City  Council  itself  would  have  no  such  power  if  it  undertook  to  do  this. 

Under  the  act  of  1873  relating  to  the  State  Reform  School  for  Juvenile  Offenders,  the 
board  of  trustees  of  that  institution  was  given  power,  among  other  things,  to  provide  for 
the  employment  and  education  of  its  inmates.  It  undertook  in  pursuance  of  that  power  to 
make  a  contract  with  an  individual  for  the  use  of  the  services  of  the  inmates  of  that 
institution.  The  Supreme  Court  held  that  the  board  of  trustees  was  a  corporation  with 
special  and  limited  powers ;  that  the  contract  made  by  it  was  void,  and  that  the  statute  did 
not  confer  upon  them  the  power  to  make  a  contract  of  this  character,  (Clement  v. 
Board  of  Trustees  of  State  Reform  School,  84  111.,  311.) 

The  law  establishing  the  House  of  Correction  was  passed  in  1871.  It  did  not  expressly 
give  the  power  to  the  board  of  inspectors  of  same  to  employ  the  inmates  of  the  institution, 
and  in  this  respect  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  are  more  limited 
in  their  powers  than  were  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  State  Reform  School.  Consequently, 
since  it  was  held  unlawful  for  the  latter  to  make  a  contract  of  this  character,  a  fortiori  it 
follows  that  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the  House  of  Correction  can  not  do  so. 

The  act  creating  the  House  of  Correction  unquestionably  contemplated  that  the  inmates 
should  be  employed.  It  required  that  the  officer  whose  duty  it  was  to  receive  the  persons 
sentenced  thereto  should  "safely  keep  and  employ  such  person  for  the  term  mentioned  in 
the  warrant  of  commitment."  (Sec.  10.)  This  is  also  made  clear  by  the  wording  of  sec- 
tion 13  of  that  act,  which  says  that  the  expenses  of  maintaining  any  such  house  of  correc- 
tion "over  and  above  all  receipts  for  the  labor  of  persons  confined  therein,"  etc.,  shall  be 
audited  and  paid  by  the  legislative  authority  of  the  city.  Consequently,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  inmates  are  to  be  employed,  and  the  City  Council  has  expressly  required  this 
by  section  1497  of  the  Chicago  Code  of  1911,  which  makes  it  the  duty  of  the  superin- 
tendent to  put  each  of  the  persons  committed  therein  who  is  able  to  labor  "to  the 
work  which  they  are  respectively  best  able  to  do,  not  to  exceed  ten  hours  for  each 
working  day." 

64 


We  are  unable  to  find  any  statute  which  prescribes  the  class  of  work  that  the  inmates 
of  this  institution  shouLd  do,  but  we  assume  that  their  employment  in  the  same  manner  and 
in  the  same  lines  of  work  as  the  employment  of  the  inmates  of  the  penitentiaries  and 
reformatories  of  the  state  would  be  proper. 

As  stated  above,  the  City  Council  has  not  been  given  any  authority  to  make  contracts 
for  the  labor  of  the  inmates  of  same,  and  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  amendment  of 
the  constitution  adopted  in  1886  relating  to  prison  labor,  applies  to  this  institution  as  well 
as  to  the  penal  institutions  of  the  state.     This  amendinent  reads  as  follows: 

Hereafter  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  the  commissioners  of  any  peniten- 
tiary or  other  reformatory  institution  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  to  let  out 
by  contract  to  any  person  or  persons,  or  corporations,  the  labor  of  any 
convict  confined  within  said  institution. 

The  only  reason  why  there  is  any  question  as  to  the  applicability  of  the  above 
constitutional  provision  is  because  the  word  "convict"  is  used  and  it  may  be  regarded 
as  doubtful  whether  so  harsh  a  name  can  be  applied  to  a  "person  confined  in  the 
House  of  Correction,  since  he  does  not,  through  his  imprisonment  in  same,  lose  any 
of  his  civil  rights.  On  the  other  hand,  the  provision  of  the  criminal  code  which 
authorizes  the  commitment  of  persons  sentenced  to  the  County  Jail  or  House  of 
Correction,  speaks  of  same  as  "convicts"  (Criminal  Code  Div.  14,  sec.  12),  and  the  act 
establishing  the  House  of  Correction  makes  provision  for  the  imprisonment  of  per- 
sons sent  there  by  the  federal  courts,  who  are  usually  regarded  as  convicts. 

After  giving  due  weight  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  "convict,"  the  conclusion  is 
irresistible  that  the  constitutional  amendment  was  intended  to  cover  such  institutions 
as  the  House  of  Correction.  The  authorities  agree  that  the  institution  comes  within 
the  definition  of  the  words  "penitentiary  or  other  reformatory  institution." 

"A  house  of  refuge  and  a  house  of  correction  are  alike  in  the  essential 
element  that  each  is  a  quasi-penal  institution,  whose  desideratum  is  the 
reformation   rather  than   the  punishment   of  the    inmate. 

"A  house  of  refuge  is  usually  for  the  young;  for  juvenile  offenders 
exclusively.  A  house  of  correction,  originally,  was  designed  for  petty  evil- 
doers of  all  ages,  and  in  the  absence  of  any  statutory  provision  to  the  con- 
trary the  age  of  a  person  committed  is  of  no  special  importance. 

"Every  institution  of  a  reformatory  character  embraced  within  the 
meaning  of  the  terms  'houses  of  refuge  and  correction,'  in  a  legal  sense, 
charitable  and  eleemosynary,  so  far  as  such  terms  may  properly  apply  to  a 
public  corporation.  In  some  states  all  such  reformatory  institutions  are 
included  in  or  united  with  the  state  charities.  Sometimes  they  are  specif- 
ically declared  to  be  charitable  corporations  by  the  statutes  which  create 
them. 

"All  such  institutions  are  identical  in  spirit  and  purpose.  The  object 
of  each  is  the  reformation  of  the  culprit  and  his  restoration  to  society  as 
speedily  as  the  general  welfare  will  permit,  prepared  and  equipped,  by 
reason  of  the  training  received  while  in  confinement,  to  lead  a  correct  and 
useful  life.  But  all  such  institutions  are  distinctly  penal  as  well  as  reform- 
atory in  character."     (15  Am.  &  Eng.  Enc.  of  Law,  2nd   Ed.,  pp.  m .) 

Webster  defines  the  word  "penitentiary"  as  follows: 

"A  place  for  penitence,  or  where  penance  is  inflicted  or  offenses  pun- 
ished; especially,  a  house  of  correction  in  which  offenders  are  confined 
for  punishment  and  reformation,  and  compelled  to  labor;  a  work  house." 

Additional  authority  for  our  view  may  be  found  in  following  cases: 

Hughes  V.  Daly.  49  Conn.  34. 

McAndrews  v.  Hamilton  Co.,  103  Tenn.  399. 

Aside  from  the  exact  definition  of  the  words  used,  there  appears  no  good  reason 
for  limiting  the  inhibition  to  the  penal  institutions  ordinarly  called  penitentaries  and 
reformatories.  The  fact  that  the  words  "or  other"  appear  before  the  word  "reform- 
atory" and  the  fact  that  the  word  "institution"  appears  after  it,  makes  it  quite  clear 


that  the  intention  was  not  to  confine  it  to  the  prison  for  juvenile  offenders  ordinarily 
known  as  a  state  reformatory.  It  was  undoubtedly  intended  that  it  should  include 
any  penal  institution  where  the  inmates  are  employed  at  work  which  might  compete 
with  outside  labor. 

Therefore,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  neither  the  board  of  inspectors  of  the  House 
of  Correction  nor  the  City  Council  of  the  city  of  Chicago  has  power  or  authority  to 
make  such  a  contract  as  is  contemplated  for  the  output  of  prison  labor. 

Yours  respectfully, 

M.  W.   CAGNEY, 
Assistant  Corporation  Counsel. 

LEON    HORNSTEIN, 
Assistant  Corporation  Counsel. 

Approved: 

WM.   H.  SEXTON, 

Corporation   Counsel. 


.Ipfi 

3  0112  084209102 


